Bulletproof
by Ed Westwicker
Summary: Kole Malfoy is Draco Malfoy's twin sister. She loves her life except for one thing, her parents hate her because she was sorted into Gryffindor. Story better than summary. R&R!
1. Love The Way You Lie

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own anything you recognize  
**

**XoXo**

"Kole! Get up now!" my mother yelled up the stairs. Welcome to my life. It's full of yelling and screaming and things falling and things being hit. Mainly all of those are applied to me. See, I am Kole Malfoy, twin sister of Draco Malfoy. We are completely identical, except for the fact that I am a girl and way prettier than him. Anyway. It's the start of my fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am ready for a year full of romance and breathtaking looks. Although, my parents can't get wind of it.

See, I'm in Gryffindor. Something that is, like, forbidden in the Malfoy or Black family. But I can't really help it, although my parents don't really see that. Draco does though. He's very sweet about the whole "I'm in Slytherin and mum and dad love me better" thing.

"Kole. Come on. Mum's not happy," Draco said from my bedroom door, which I have been forced to keep open by the way. "Seriously, K."

"I'm coming Drake! Just give me a second to get dressed!" I snapped, throwing one of my scarlet pillows at him. He ducked it and laughed.

"Nice shot," he sniggered, walking away from my room and down the hall. "Hurry up!"

I rolled my eyes, but got out of my bed anyway. I snuck a look in the mirror, but automatically wished I hadn't. My pale blonde hair was sticking up everywhere, and my almost black eyes had a glazed look to them. I looked dreadful and mum was going to attack me as soon as I went downstairs. Why couldn't my life be the least bit normal? I finally got some clothing on and went downstairs, ready to face my mother and all of her hellish attitudes.

"How do I look? Presentable enough for you?" I hissed, cocking my hip and glaring at her, my blonde hair up in a ponytail the way she despised it and a black tank top and white jeans that she couldn't stand on me.

"Watch your tone with your mother!" my father growled from his seat at the table. I nodded silently and sat down. I knew from experience not to mess with my father. He wasn't afraid to slap you if you didn't follow what he was saying. "And finish your breakfast. We're leaving in five minutes."

"I'm not hungry," I said stubbornly, crossing my arms over my chest and looking into Draco's grey eyes. He shook his head slightly and sighed silently. I smirked at him but didn't say a word.

"Eat," my mother said forcibly, glaring at me and shoving something in front of me. "Eat or you're not going."

"I'm not hungry," I said again, pushing the plate away from me this time. "And I'm not going to eat if I'm not hungry." I looked down at the food and smirked, thinking of an insult that would surely gain a slap. "And besides, you always said I shouldn't eat something if I can't tell what it is."

Mum's eyes narrowed into cold, blue slits, dad stood up getting ready to throw me out of the house, and Draco laughed but he luckily turned it into a hacking cough before mum and dad could spot it. "What did you just say?" dad asked in a scary calm voice. I looked up at my mum and she was just glaring at me. So much for getting my family to love me, right?

"I said that I wasn't supposed to eat things when I don't know what they are," I said defiantly, turning my black eyes to my father. "You're the one that came up with that rule, dad."

"All right. Draco, Kole. It's time to go. You don't want to be late do you?" Mum said, standing up and brushing her skirt off. Thank you, Mum! You are the ultimate peacemaker!

XoXo

After a silent car ride, I was ready to jump out of the car and into the arms of Theodore Nott. There, on the train, I may not be in the right compartment, but at least I was happy. I had no one telling me what to do, no one hating me and definitely no one monitoring what I said just so that they would be perfectly fine. "Are you coming or not?" Draco asked, pulling his trunk out of the car. I nodded solemnly and got of our car, not meeting the eyes of my mother.

"Have a good term! Send me letters, Draco!" mum called, throwing out the fact that my presence wasn't needed nor was it wanted.

"I will mum!" he called back, giving her a little wave and dragging his trunk beside me. "What's the matter?"

"Well, let's see. Mum chose to ignore me the entire way here, dad threatened to hit me and I woke up to screaming while you woke up to mum's sweet voice and a gentle pull on your blankets," I complained, glaring at him.

"Well, think of it this way, We have a complete term without her or dad and just our friends!" he laughed, shoving me. I rolled my eyes but laughed. "Or boyfriends in your case."

"How did you find out about that?" I asked, horrified at the ways of my brother. He just laughed and walked over to our group of friends. How did I end up with the little bugger of a brother when other people had normal relatives?


	2. Shark In The Water

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own anything you recognize.**

**XoXo**

Once we were all on the train and settled into the Slytherin compartment (so technically I wasn't supposed to be there, but would _you_ want to sit with the Gryffindors if _you_ were a Malfoy? Didn't think so!), we kind of just fell into position and started talking. Positions are as follows (just in case you didn't know): Draco on one side of the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle on either side, Pansy fawning over him from my side, Theodore next to me with his arm slung over my shoulder and Blaise sitting on the floor like the goof he is.

"So what did you do over the summer, Draco?" Pansy asked in that stupid simpering way of hers. She batted her stupid eyes and scrunched her pug nose in what she obviously thought was an attractive look. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Of course not, Pansy," he said with a smirk, glancing over at me. "Kole and I just kind of sat around and did nothing."

"All summer?" she asked disbelievingly, not even looking at me to clear this story up.

"All summer. See, we are very boring people," I laughed, batting my own black eyes at her dull brown ones. I looked up at Theodore to see a small smile on his own lips. "What about you? What did you do all summer?"

"Nothing really. Just kind of tortured the Muggles that were living in Italy," Pansy said swiftly, still not meeting my harsh eyes. "And besides, why are you talking to me, Malfoy? You're hardly worth my time."

"Oi!" Draco said sharply, standing up with a look of fury on his pale features. "That's my sister you're talking to!"

"Yeah! You wanna get in with him you gotta get in with her!" Theodore said sweetly, standing up along with my brother.

"Boys, boys," I said calmly, smiling at both of them and Parkinson. "Thank you for caring, but I can take care of myself." I knelt down on the ground and looked her straight in the eyes, a malicious glint gleaming in my eyes. "Do you really think that I care whether you were talking to me or not? My family has more wealth, power and pure blood than yours could even dream of! Do you really want to get into a fight with me?"

Parkinson silently nodded, obviously taking my threat as serious. "Good. Now, I must bid you all adieu. It comes time to return to my compartment and change into my godforsaken Gryffindor robes." I hugged Draco good bye, ignored Parkinson, high-fived Blaise, said goodbye to Crabbe and Goyle and pecked Theodore on the cheek. And after all of that was done, I weaved my way through the train and finally got to the Gryffindor compartment (much to my chagrin).

"Oh, look, it's the Malfoy twin," someone stage-whispered. "I wonder if she has any friends here."

"Hell yeah I do!" I screeched, wheeling around to find Lavender and Parvati whispering behind my back. "I probably have more friends than you 'cause all you two do is whisper about people behind your hands!"

They both blushed and scrambled away, leaving me alone again. I stepped into the compartment that had my stuff in it and blinked when I realized who it was. The very people that I despised and wanted no part of. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom. How did I end up with such misfortune?

"What the ruddy hell are _you_ doing in here?" Ron spat, glaring at me with his stupid brown eyes. "I don't recall letting you in here."

"I don't really want to be in here either!" I growled, hauling my trunk from beneath a seat. "But unfortunately someone put my trunk in here."

"Well, if you could kindly leave. As in now," he said with a sarcastic politeness. I rolled my eyes and saluted him sarcastically. I heaved my trunk to a semi-empty compartment and changed in there, throwing my trunk under the seats and sat down, ready for a nice long nap to rejuvenate me until we got to Hogwarts.

**XoXo**

**A/N: I hope you like it! I'm kind of testing it out to see how people react, I've never done a story like this before. Tell me in review whether I should stop or whether I should keep going! Thanks,**

**-Ed**


	3. Don't Cry

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own anything you recognize.**

**XoXo**

Once we were on the platform, I started to look around for my brother. I hated being stuck with the Gryffindor's for longer than necessary and just sitting in that compartment was longer than necessary. I was kind of bleary from my nap, but a sharp breath from the cold air fixed that problem. And then I found him. Okay, so it wasn't my brother but it was definitely a step up. It was Theodore! "Hey," I said, slouching up to him and pressing myself against his warm body to stop my shivers.

"Hey. I see you survived the Gryffindor compartments," he laughed pulling me towards the other Slytherins. I nodded silently, trying to cover up the disgusting scarlet and gold insignia on the chest of my robes. "And don't worry, we fixed the Pansy problem."

"Oh really?" I asked, smiling up at him. "And here I thought I did it all on my own." He chuckled and shook his head.

"You couldn't kick Pansy's ass if you tried!" he snickered, looking seriously at me. I turned my black eyes to his deep brown ones and smirked, thinking of a devious plan.

"You're on. Four sickles that I beat her arse without getting a detention or anything," I said standing away from him and holding my hand out.

"All right. By the end of this week," he said, smiling disbelievingly at me. I nodded and shook his hand, preparing for one hell of an ass-whooping. He then shook his head and led me to where the Slytherins were standing for real. "We'd better get on the carriages soon. Don't want to be stuck with anyone else do we?"

I shook my head, as did Draco, Parkinson and Blaise. "Glad to see that you survived the Gryffindor part of the train," Draco sneered, earning a glare from me. "But you were sleeping so I don't know if that counts . . . ."

"How would you know what I was doing?" I asked incredulously, glaring at him.

"I came to torture Potter and his friends and saw that you were sleeping. You looked so little and cute," he said in that voice he reserved for torturing me.

"Shut up," I growled, stepping into the carriage and sitting down heavily, crossing my arms over my chest and putting my pest pouting face on. Draco just rolled his eyes and sat across from me with Parkinson on his tail (of course). She started to bat her eyelids and cozy up to him and Draco did his best to mask his annoyance. But of course, me being his twin, I caught it at once.

"So, Draco. How many first years do you want?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice that made me practically gag and puke all over her stupid pug-nosed face.

"Um, how about none? They're just annoying!" he said bluntly, shoving her off of him. I heard Blaise snicker and could barely stop my giggles.

"What's so funny? Last time I checked I didn't say a single funny thing!" Parkinson growled, crossing her arms over her chest and sulking while shooting glares at me. "God. You guys are so immature."

"Sometimes you have to read between the lines, Parkinson. It's what wasn't said that was funny," I said, putting my hand on her arm in mock consideration. "Besides who wouldn't laugh at a face that only a mother could love."

"Sorry to hear you talking about yourself, Malfoy," she sneered back, tossing a piece of mouse-brown hair behind her ear.

"Ah, but I have an advantage," I said smugly, relishing in the way her face was set in a look of fear. "My face is almost the exact same as the boy you seem to have taken a hankering to." Parkinson just blinked a few times and then she sank back into her chair completely silent and without a single thing to say about me again. Point one to Kole, zero to Parkinson! Hallelujah!

**XoXo**

**A/N: I hope you like it! I'm kind of testing it out to see how people react, I've never done a story like this before. Tell me in review whether I should stop or whether I should keep going! Thanks,**

**-Ed **


	4. Feeling Good

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own anything you recognize.**

**XoXo**

I walked into Hogwarts, hallowed ground for those of us that hated our parents and hated ground for those of us that were momma's children. I was just about to breathe in the familiar scent of one of my favorite places in the world when, of course, Peeves decided to rain down on us with water balloons! It hit me right on top of my head. Of course, needless to say, I shrieked and tried to look for cover. "Peeves!" I screamed, covering my head with my robes (which I wasn't too sad about seeing as they were Gryffindor robes and all).

Another balloon exploded on the ground right next to my feet and sent cold water shivering over my feet. I choked back another scream and ran straight into something solid and hard. "Oof," I let out, glaring at the person. "Watch where you're standing, Weasley," I sneered. "Some of us are trying to get away from the water!"

"Oh, like you're the only one in the building!" he shot back angrily, glaring back at me.

"I didn't say that now did I?" I said hotly, walking straight up to him. "But you don't get it, do you? The whole world doesn't revolve around you!"

"What the ruddy hell are you talking about?" he asked, flicking his red hair out of his eyes. "You're crazy. Did you know that?" I rolled my eyes, cocked my hip and glared at him. Thankfully I didn't have to say a word. Draco said it all for me (did I ever mention how much I loved him?).

"Oi!" Draco said harshly, sauntering over to us with Theodore on my other side. "That's my sister you're talking to!"

"Yeah, you can't talk to her like that!" Theodore said, ever the loyal one. "What if I talked to Granger like that?"

"Or the Weaselette over there?" Draco sneered, flicking his eyes over towards the Ginny girl. Weasley automatically got a look of sheer anger as the tips of his ears turned a bright scarlet color to match with the disgustingness of his old robes. "That's what I thought."

We all turned around at once, but unlike the others I turned around fleetingly and blew Weasley a kiss just to tease him. He turned an even brighter shade of red. I smiled and sauntered over to my brother and our friends, not even regretting one word that was said. Without a word to each other, we all filed into the Great Hall and sat down at our tables. I turned to Draco, gave him a hug and then turned to Theodore. I hugged him and then pecked his cheek, skipping away to my table with a light heart.

"Why is she even over here?" I heard resound from behind people's hands. I rolled my eyes, trying to reign in my anger so I wouldn't do anything drastic. And then, it was the Sorting, the most boring part of the night.

I looked over at Draco, who seemed to be enjoying himself, but I could see from the way his leg was bouncing up and down that he was bored out of his mind. I looked back up, resolving to clap every time there was a Slytherin called. And I did. I did it and I was proud of the murderous glares everyone was shooting me.

And then it was over, almost as quick as it had started. The meal was officially started. I always start my year out at Hogwarts as the silent one, but over the course of the year, that will change. Each and everyone of the little Gryffindor's will find out how murderous and evil I can be when I really mean to. So as I was eating my food, I nonchalantly started figuring out how all of this would transpire, but then . . . dinner was over. My food disappeared and Dumbledore stood up to talk to us.

"So!" he said cheerfully, smiling in that kind, grandfatherly way that he had. "Now that we're all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention." I rolled my eyes and completely blanked while he spouted things that we should do and things that we shouldn't. Of course I would probably break all of those things at least once in the course of this year, but ti was all right. They should expect no less from me! "I must also inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

My jaw dropped and I was completely at a loss for words for a straight five minutes. No Quidditch meant no sneaking onto the grounds to watch the Slytherins. That also meant that I couldn't piss the Gryffindors off by cheering for the other teams.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers time and energy." I looked over at Draco and fist-pumped the air secretly. He smirked and nodded. But Dumbledore was cut short when a dull thunking resounded through the room. As one, the Houses turned around and watched as Mad-Eye Moody (yes the Auror), clumped up to Dumbledore and grasped his hand.

"May I introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody!" The room exploded into applause and I looked up at Professor Snape and felt sorry for him. "As I was saying, this event is the Triwizard Tournament."

And with that, the entire Great Hall exploded with cheers, applause and even some boos. I smiled and turned to Draco, sharing a smirk with him that only the Malfoy twins could pull off. We were going to win this thing, if it was the last thing we did!

**XoXo**

**A/N: I hope you like it! I'm kind of testing it out to see how people react, I've never done a story like this before. Tell me in review whether I should stop or whether I should keep going! Thanks,**

**-Ed **


	5. Alejandro

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own anything you recognize.**

**XoXo**

Dumbledore stood up, holding his hands out and silencing all of us with his power. And then, of course, being Dumbledore, he had to go into a huge rant about how the Triwizard Tournament was started and how it was banned because of deaths and boring stuff like that. I just rolled my eyes, placed my head in my hands and tried to fall asleep. And then he said the most exciting thing of all. Durmstrang (home of the scrumptious Viktor Krum) and Beauxbatons (home of the yummy Frenchmen) were joining us for the rest of the year. Just imagine. Spending an entire year in the sight of attractive boys. This was heaven!

"But this tournament is only for those of you that are seventeen or older," Dumbledore said blatantly, calling back of us to attention.

"What?" I screamed along with the rest of the school, glaring at the teachers. Dumbledore just stood there quietly, waiting for us to calm down. "That is unfair! Injustice even!"

"The Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students will be joining us in October and they will stay the rest of the year. We must be on our best behavior during those months and show them our every courtesy. Now, it is bedtime! Chop, chop!"

And with that, each and everyone of us got up as one. Most of the Gryffindors stayed together, except of course, me. I sauntered over to the prefect, asked for the password and then walked over to the Slytherins, irritation building inside my chest. I stood beside Draco and rolled my eyes visibly. He snorted and then shut up as soon as the prefect shot a glare back at him.

"How was that for a surprise?" Parkinson obviously trying to get back into Draco's good graces. Thankfully he wasn't letting her. "I mean seriously? Only seventh years? Like we fourth years couldn't survive the Triwizard Tournament! That man is seriously mad!"

I rolled my eyes and looked over at Draco who was just laughing his head off (silently of course, we don't want to hurt poor Pansy's feelings do we?). "I can hardly believe that you would make it alive, Parkinson," I said scathingly, smiling at her maliciously. "And besides, you wouldn't be chosen because you have hardly any magical talent!"

"What? Draco! Did you hear what she just said to me? Do something!" she screeched, glaring at me.

"I don't think I will," he said simply, smirking at her. "See, we're kind of telepathic and I told her to do that with my mind!"

"Really?" she asked in surprise, her eyes widening and a hand flying up to cover her mouth.

"No you idiot," I said, rolling my eyes and glaring at her. "That was a joke. I seriously can't believe you thought he was serious. You're more stupid than we thought." I smirked at Draco and we high-fived, with me shooting a glance at Theodore and sticking my tongue out at him.

"Why are you coming with us?" Blaise asked, finally speaking up and sidling up next to me. "I mean, technically Gryffindors aren't allowed in Slytherin dorms. Not that you're a typical Gryffindor, but still, I mean-"

"Blaise?" I asked, cutting him off mid-rant. He turned his dark brown eyes to me and smiled sheepishly, knowing automatically what I was going to tell him. "You're talking way to much." He nodded and shut his mouth, falling back into the silence he was known for.

Let me tell you a little something about each and everyone of us here in our little eclectic group of buddies (don't mock my word choices!). Blaise is really quiet, until he starts talking or he's really nervous, then he starts rambling about nothing. Parkinson is obviously the one that tries to get Draco into everything she says, and she thinks that she is the prettiest one here (which she isn't!). Theodore is quiet and sweet, but kinda protective and if you really want him to he'll be funny, but only when you want him to. Draco is very protective but he's funny too and we stick together through whatever. And well, Crabbe and Goyle just don't talk. Ever.

And that's our group. Welcome to the family!

"You're lost in thought," Theodore sing-songed, smiling at me. "That's not a good place to be."

I rolled my eyes and half-glared at him. "What would you know, Nott? It's not like you're ever there!" I said in mock-anger. He just smiled and ruffled my long blonde hair, pulling me closer to him.

"Was that you're first fight!" Draco asked in mock-surprise. "Oh, my God! I can't believe it! The perfect couple has actual fought for once!"

We all just laughed and I finally felt all my tension relax. This was actually where I belonged and I couldn't believe how stupid the Sorting Hat was to think that I belonged anywhere else. But, alas, it was a hat and not an actual person.

**XoXo**

**A/N: I hope you like it! I'm kind of testing it out to see how people react, I've never done a story like this before. Tell me in review whether I should stop or whether I should keep going! Thanks,**

**-Ed **


	6. Spit In Your Face

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own anything you recognize.**

**XoXo**

The next morning I was sitting down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, feeling the disgusted stares of everyone around me. I kept my head down, my face covered by a sheet of long blonde hair and just took tiny bites of toast. But then this boy came next to me. He was fifth year and kind of cute in that whole he knows he's hot so he has to show everyone else too. He had a shock of almost black hair that hung low over his eyes and his eyes were a dark green.

"Hey," he said quietly, nodding his head ever-so-slightly. "Haven't seen you before. Are you a transfer?"

"No!" I exclaimed, glaring at him, my black eyes dark in the middle of my pale face. "I've never seen _you_ before but you didn't see me saying anything!" A half smile perked up one side of his lips and he turned his green eyes to mine.

"Touche," he said quietly, turning back to his paper. I tried to read from where I was sitting, but it didn't exactly work out, so I kind of sat there just watching him. "Are you, like, checking me out?"

I shook my head furiously but it didn't help anything. He just kind of sat there, practically glaring at me! "Hey! Kole!" Blaise and Draco yelled loudly from the Slytherin table. I turned around and saw them gesturing wildly for me to come over and join them. I got up in one fluid moment and walked quickly over to the table.

"Don't get too cozy with boys that aren't a certain someone," Draco said in a suggestive tone. I rolled my eyes and glared at him. "Just saying."

"Well, stop saying. He's a Gryffindor. I don't get along with Gryffindor's much less talk civilly to one," I snapped, rolling my eyes and taking a piece of bacon from the platter in the middle of the table.

"Miss Malfoy, that food is for Slytherins only. I assume that you are lost and because of that you need directions to your table," Professor Snape said in that slow, deep voice of his. I rolled my eyes and slammed the piece of bacon down. "It is right over there. You may converse with your friends over there."

"Professor Snape," I said in a sickly sweet tone that was too sarcastic. "I was invited over here by a few of my _real_ friends and since we are encouraged to make friends with other houses, I was only doing what is asked of me. Ask Dumbledore," I said, my voice dropping, my eyes narrowing and a sly smile perking my lips up. "I'm sure he would agree with what I am saying."

"Very well, Miss Malfoy. You have won this round," he said in a scary, level voice.

"I haven't won anything!" I interjected, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him. "In fact, I would much rather call it losing than anything else."

"Call it what you will, Kole," he said harshly, spitting my name out as though it was a deadly curse. "But you may stay here and talk with your so-called friends, but I expect you to not eat any of our food and go and get your schedule from Professor McGonagall." I balked at him, my eyes wide and my mouth basically on the floor. "Yes, Miss Malfoy. You can ask Dumbledore if he agress."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't say a word. With heavy steps, I quickly stalked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down, waiting for my schedule to arrive. And within a few minutes, my wish was granted. McGonagall came and handed me my schedule, not even bothering to defile her mouth with my name. I grabbed it, ran over to the Slytherin table and started to compare with everyone else.

"All right. I have Herbology with Hufflepuffs first." I rolled my eyes and wondered how I would survive a class with Hufflepuffs _and_ Gryffindors. It was like going to hell and back! "Then Care of Magical Creatures with you guys!" I smiled at them and was filled with an elation that I could barely contain! "Double Divination with Ravenclaws, a bunch of sods, all of 'em," I said irritably under my breath. "And that's about it for today."

"Only one class with us. That's rough," Blaise said, peering over the top of his own schedule and smiling at me.

"Hope you survive," Theodore said sarcastically, pulling at a piece of my long hair.

"Thanks, Theodore," I said, rolling my eyes but smiling up at him. I quickly pecked him on the lips and then ran over to where all of the students were lining up at the door. There was no reason for me to be late to my first class, have Professor Sprout complain to my mother and then get a howler. Maybe I was blowing it all out of proportion, but still.

XoXo

About fifteen minutes later the Hufflepuffs and the Gryffindors were all sitting on benches in the greenhouse with Professor Sprout going on about Bubotubers and how we needed to squeeze the pus from them. Which is so disgusting! I mean, I didn't come to this school and my parents didn't pay for this school just so we could do the Professor's chores for them! I mean, what does that half to do with anything, other than being disgusting anyway!

"Um, excuse me," the Hufflepuff next to me said timidly, his brown eyes wide and scared.

"What?" I snapped, watching him squirm under my gaze and smiling.

"We're partners and you need to hold the bottles while I squeeze the pus out," he said, not looking me in the eyes.

"Are you telling me what I need to do?" I asked angrily, glaring at him and not feeling anything smile in my mouth area. "I mean, seriously! Who do you think you are to tell me what to do!" The boy was squirming for real now, and he looked close to tears. "But it just so happens that I don't really want to spend my morning squeezing pus from a plant. So I will do what you told me to. Just remember this conversation for the next time."

The boy nodded and snapped on his dragon-skin gloves. I smiled and held the bottle out, trying not to smell the putrid stench as much as I could.

**XoXo **


	7. That's What You Get

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, only my character and my ideas!**

**XoXo **

As soon as the bell rang, I jumped out of my seat and bounded towards Care of Magical Creatures. I may have looked like a complete prat but at least I was going to be with my friends. I finally got to Hagir's cabin with my hair a mess and my breath coming out in short bursts. And (just as my luck would have it) none of the Slytherins were there. Not a single one! Not even that prat Millicent Bulstrode who gets everywhere first!

"Look who's here!" Potter called loudly, the hate in his voice loudly tangible. "It's Kole Malfoy. All by her lonesome. Just like always."

I wheeled around to face him, anger twisting my face into ugly distortions. I narrowed my black eyes and felt my long blonde hair whip away from my scalp. "What did you say, Potter?" I spat, glaring at him angrily. Potter just shrugged and turned back to his little posse. "Hey!" I yelled, putting my hand on his shoulder and forcing him to face me. "Tell me what you just said to my face!"

"I will," Weasley said defiantly, sliding his brown eyes to meet mine. "He said you're always by yourself unless your with your brother and his bodyguards! Why do you even go here? Everyone hates you!"

I utter a low growl and rugby tackled him, his head bouncing heavily against the ground. "Don't—you –dare – talk – about – me – like – that – again!" I screamed, accentuating each word with a punch to the face.

"Oi! What's going on here?" Draco yelled as he ran down the hill.

"Get your crazy bitch of a sister off of me!" Weasley screeched from beneath me, his voice muffled by the hands he had thrown up to protect his face.

"What did you call her?" Theodore asked, pulling me off of him. Weasley struggled to his feet with the help of Potter and Granger, but didn't answer. "Hey! I asked you a question!"

"He only called her what she is!" Dean Thomas hollered from his standpoint. Weasley spat a tooth out and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "She's psycho and needs to be checked!"

"Watch who you're talking to, Thomas!" Draco added, stepping up and pushing Dean back. "Say one more word against her and it's me on top of you!"

"Ooh, we're so scared," Weasley sneered at him as he turned back to talk to him friends.

"Wha's goin' on ou' here?" the burly half giant Hagrid yelled as he lumbered out of his house "Ron? Who did tha' to you?"

"Kole!" Weasley muttered, glaring at me with those cold brown eyes.

"Who?" I rolled my eyes and cocked my hip, exasperated that the huge oaf had no idea who I was. Weasley pointed at me and Hagrid;s eyes widened in recognition. "Miss Malfoy, I have to tell ya that we don' figh' here at Hogwarts!

I nodded slemly, not trusting myself to say anything. Hagrid turned back to the rest of the class while I turned to look at my brother. I smiled my thanks and he winked.

"All righ' class! We're goin' to be raisin' Blast-Ended Skrewts!" Hagrid called excitedly, smiling at all of us.

"Why?" I called, snickering at the stunned expression on his face.

"Wha'?" he asked stupidly, turning to face me.

"She wants to know what the point of them is," Draco answered slowly and loudly. "I mean, why do we _want_ to raise them?"

Hagrid blinked rapidly, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly, reminding me of a fish. "You two don' need to know tha'. Now. We'll be takin' care o' them. Pick whichever one you want and that's yours ta keep."

We all groaned and rolled our eyes, not excited about playing with our new _pets_.


	8. Your Song

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, only my character and my ideas!**

**XoXo **

After lunch, the Gryffindors and Slytherins followed the path to the Divination classroom. It was a ridiculously stupid class, but no one wanted to drop it because of how easy it was. Basically you just had to sit there and act like you were paying attention. And if, for some odd reason, she called on you, then you just had to come up with something. See my philosophy?

"Who was that guy you were talking to at breakfast, Kole?" Theodore asked, the smile gone from his lips.

"I don't know. Why? Are you jealous?" I asked, my sarcasm wasted on the seriousness of his face.

"So what if I am?" he asked angrily, his brown eyes harsh and unyielding. "Does that ruin your whole plan of being friends with random Gryffindors and then breaking up with me?"

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Don't act stupid! I know what your plans are! You're so transparent, you know that?" I felt my eyes widen, not understanding where this was coming from. I turned my wide black eyes to Draco, searching his gray ones for an answer. All he did was shrug, he was as confused about this as I was.

"I don't-" I muttered, shaking my head and looking anywhere but straight at him.

"Don't give me that crap!" he screamed, pointing his finger in my face. I sucked in a breath and felt my eyes fill with tears. "You know what? We're done!"

My eyes sprung up to meet his face and my jaw dropped. Tears rolled down my flaming cheeks and I shook my head.

"Theodore," I pleaded, reaching a long-fingered hand towards him. "Don't."

But he didn't say a word. He stuck his hand out to stop me and turned away, walking up the steep stairs to the Divination classroom.

Once we were all settled into our seats, Professor Trelawney called us all to attention. But I couldn't pay attention to what she was saying. I kept sneaking glances over at Theodore, much to my chagrin it didn't seem as though he was too cut up about it. And it wasn't like I had any girl friends that I could talk to about this kind of stuff. I had Draco and I had Blaise. Not much for a scintillating conversation.

"Miss Malfoy," I heard Trelawney say in that all too familiar lofty tone. "I do not make these lessons so that you can drift in and out of them."

I was jolted back to the present and looked over at Draco sheepishly. He smiled slightly, but when right back to being half asleep. Trelawney went back to her lecture and stopped paying attention to me.

"Are you all right?" Draco asked, leaning over and hissing in my ear.

I wheeled around to face him, my long blond hair whipping around my face and my black eyes steely with anger.

"What do you think?" I growled, feeling the color drain out of my face. I shook my head, but stayed silent. Draco nodded and laid his head on the table, preparing to fall completely asleep.

XoXo

After class we all trekked downstairs and through the hallways. My eyes were bleary and I could barely focus on a single stone in the wall, let alone the conversation that was happening around me. Draco nudged my shoulder and gave me a sly grin, breaking me out of my depression bubble.

"Watch this," he said excitedly, pulling this morning's Daily Prophet out of his bag. I nodded slowly, feeling a headache creep into my temples.

I watched as he ran forward, calling Weasley's name.

"What?" Weasley asked shortly, the tips of his ears turning a deep scarlet.

"Your Dad's finally in the paper!" Weasley's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't believe you," he said indignantly, a ridiculous look on his face.

"Oh yes he is!" I interjected, finally joining in. "Listen to it." As Draco read it out loud, Weasley, Potter and Granger all shifted their faces into looks of intense anger. "Hey Weasley," I piped up again, sauntering over to them. "They didn't even get your Dad's name right. Imagine that."

Draco turned to look at me, a smirk dancing on his lips. I looked around and saw that everyone was watching us. "Aw, Weasley, look! A family picture!"

"What is that supposed to be?" I asked, pointing to their house in the background. "Is that where you _live_?"

"Why's your Mum so porky?" Draco asked spitefully, his gray eyes cold and mirthless. I looked at Weasley and saw that he was shaking with fury, the tips of his ears turning bright red.

"What about _your_ mother, Malfoys?" Potter asked meanly, his green eyes now cold and spiteful. "Why does she look like she's got dung under her nose? Was it 'cause she was with you two?"

"Don't talk about our mother like that!" I growled, stepping froward. Draco clutched the back of my robes, restraining me from pouncing on them.

"Then don't talk!" Potter replied, turning away.

Draco whipped out his wand and with a huge BANG, sent something flying towards Potter. Potter plunged his hands into his robes, trying to find his wand. But then there was another BANG and Draco disappeared.

A stunned silence fell as we looked over at Professor Moody and back at the shivering white ferret. I let out a little squeak and tried to pick him up.

"Leave him!" Moody shouted across the hall. I yelped and dropped him. He hit the floor with a pained squeak.

"Sorry," I whispered, my eyes flicking from my brother to Moody.

Moody began to limp towards us, his magical eyes honed in on me. Draco squeaked and ran off towards the dungeons. "Bloody coward," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Moody pointed his wand at the ferret and lifted it ten feet off the ground and then smashed it onto the floor. Draco uttered a muffled squeak. "I don't like people that attack when their opponents back is turned," Moody growled as he bounced my brother higher.

"What are you doing?" I screamed, my voice loud in the echoing room. "You're going to hurt him!"

"So?" Moody said simply. "You'll be his sister then. Do you want the same punishment?"

"No," I muttered, looking from him.

"And why not?"

"Because I haven't done anything wrong." Moody let out a barking laugh at that. He opened his mouth to say something but McGonagall's voice came out instead.

"Professor Moody!" she said, her voice betraying how shocked she was. I looked up at her, thankful that she had come to rescue Draco.

"Professor McGonagall," he uttered calmly, still bouncing my brother.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she watched Draco bounce up and down.

"Teaching these students a valuable lesson," he said, looking her in the eyes.

"Is that a student?" McGonagall screeched, dropping the books onto the floor. Moody just nodded, a smile on his grotesque lips. "No!" she yelled, pulling out her wand. There was a loud snapping noise as Draco appeared on the floor, breathless. He was pink faced and he winced with every breath.

"We never use Transfiguration on students! Especially not as a punishment!" Moody just glared at my brother, his magical eyes swiveling out of control.. "We hand out detentions or talk to their Head of House."

"All right then," Moody said, pulling Draco off of the ground and grabbing my arm. "I'm taking you both to Snape!"

"Why me?" I yelled, struggling against his strong grip. Moody just looked at me as though I was just crazy. Which is just mental because I know more about myself then he does!

"What do you mean why you? You're in Snape's House, ain't you?" he asked stupidly.

"No," I protested, wrestling out of his grip and falling onto the floor. "I'm in hers!" I pointed at McGonagall and glared at him.

Moody looked from me to McGonagall and back again. She just nodded, not even saying a word against his blunder. "A Malfoy can't be in Gryffindor! It's unheard of!" Moody growled, limping away with my terrified brother in his clutches.

I looked up at McGonagall with my black eyes pleading. She nodded and shooed me away. I scrambled off the ground and walked into dinner, my insides burning with anger.


	9. Use Somebody

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, only my character and my ideas! **

**If any of you have read Dizzy Up The Girl (also by me), the girl is none other than Charlotte Hollister! How cool is that? Haha!**

**XoXo **

After dinner, I couldn't do anything other than sit down and try to work on my Divination homework. I couldn't think of anything though. The only thing that was on my mind was the way that Theodore had yelled at me. I hadn't done anything, but he wouldn't listen to me. Even at dinner he wouldn't look at me, he wouldn't say a word. It was like I was a plague and he couldn't bare to touch me or he would get the sickness. It hurt me. It hurt me more than I would let on. But I couldn't show anything, or something horrible would happen and I would be back to where I started.

"You look terrible," the boy from breakfast said, not even bothering to look up from his own homework.

"Excuse me. What did you say?" I asked, glaring at him. He was the reason that Theodore hated me, so excuse me if I wasn't exactly a fan of his work!

"You don't look so good. Normally you're all composed and stuff, but now you're angry," he smiled at me from over his work. "It's not a good look for you. Sorry." I rolled my eyes but went back to my work, trying to cover up my anger. "Why are you angry?"

"Do I know you?" I asked hotly, slamming down my quill and cracking my knuckles. He just chuckled and shook his head. I rolled my eyes again and walked up to my dormitory, going to get all of Theodore's things that I had. If only to throw them at his thick head. "Stupid Gryffindor going and talking to me and causing me and Theodore to break up. I couldn't believe it. The one time I actually talked to one Gryffindor was the time that Theodore had to be looking and then this happened!

"Ow!" I yelled when something hit me in the back of my head. I whipped around and glared at Lavender Brown and Granger, the two girls that had walked into the room. "What the HELL do you think that you two are doing? And what is this?" I picked up the thing they had thrown at me and shoved it in their faces. They both shrugged, their little faces showing every ounce of fear that they were feeling.

I grunted, pursing my lips and walked down the stairs, picking up the bag that had all of his stuff in it on the way.

"What's all that?" the boy from before asked, his green eyes sparkling. I threw him a glare and he shut up, a good thing too because my nerves were frayed. I walked out of the common room and stomped the entire way to the Slytherin common room, trying not to cry the entire way there.

"_Sibidius Killius!_" I growled as it slid open, walking in and looking around to find Theodore. "Where is he?" I growled to the little black-haired girl with the color changing eyes.

"Who?" she squeaked from my brother's lap, her eyes glinting a weird yellow color.

"He's upstairs. Go get him, K," Draco said, smiling and nuzzling the girl's neck. "Come on Char, we'd better get out of the way." Charlotte complied and walked behind Draco, her hand intertwined in his, but her eyes still on me.

And with that, I stomped up the stairs, wanting to hurt Theodore as much as he had hurt me!


	10. Ignorance

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, only my character and my ideas! **

**XoXo **

I looked into the fourth years dormitory, anger flowing through my veins as though it had lived there it's entire life. I glared at the boy I was trying to find. His golden hair flopped over his eyes in the way that I used to love, but now I hated it. I could barely look at him without hatred bubbling over it's well-tended place.

"Hey, Theodore," I said harshly, spitting out the words as though they had done me wrong. He looked up and smiled, his brown eyes full of the warmth that I had craved with all of my heart. He held out a finger and motioned for me to come closer. When I shook my head, he knew there was something wrong.

"What's up?" he asked, obviously not wanting to go into the hideous details of this morning.

"'What's up?'" I repeated, scoffing at him. "What's up is the fact that you can barely look at me! And since that is the case, I decided to give you back all of your stuff!" I opened the bag and dumped all of the contents onto the floor. Theodore's eyes widened as he realized what I was doing.

"Listen, Kole, I know that there was a problem earlier, but I got over it. See? I'm talking to you!" he was pleading with me, down on his knees and everything. God, how pathetic could you get? I mean, I understood that he was sorry, but his knees? Really?

"Shut up, Theodore! I can at least tell when you're lying!" He automatically shut up (I am officially a goddess!) and rolled back onto his knees, looking up at me with his brown eyes hopeful. "Here's the shirt, the CDs and everything else that you let me borrow!" I looked at him, a smile playing on my lips as I saw the tears falling down his grimy cheeks like stupid raindrops. "Don't cry," I whispered, patting him on the head. "It doesn't suit you."

With that I turned away, not wanting to look at his pathetic face any longer than I had too. But just as I reached the door, his cold, clammy hand wrapped itself around my wrist. I tried to shake him off, but he was relentless. With a heavy sigh I turned around, trying to get rid of all of my hatred of him, to find that he was smiling at me maliciously. His eyes were glinting angrily and I let out a tiny shriek of fear.

"I can scream and then my brother will be up here faster than you'll know it and God only knows what'll happen then!" I hissed, pulling my face closer to his. He just smiled and planted his lips right on top of mine. I struggled against him, but he was stronger than I, plus he had one of my wrists in a death trap. "Let go of me!" I said from beneath his lips.

He finally let go, releasing me to the floor. "You're going to regret what you've done," he said in a low voice, narrowing his eyes. I scrambled to my feet, my breath coming out in frantic pants. I brought my hand up and slapped it across his cheek soundly. His eyes flashed again, but I was long gone.

"Kole? Are you okay?" I heard Draco ask, his tone full of worry. I nodded, running out of the common room and back to my own house where things were somewhat normal.

XoXo

"And the lost, forgotten princess returns!" I heard that stupid Gryffindor say in his snide tone. "Where were you anyway?" I rolled my eyes and started stalk away from him, trying to get my temper under control. "It was a simple question, not meant to be forgotten." I finally turned to face him, my black eyes flashing angrily and my features distorted. "You know, just because you're family hates you doesn't mean that you have to hate everyone else."

"What do you know about me?" I finally snapped, drawing the attention of everyone else. "What do you know about what it means to be a Malfoy and stuck in Gryffindor?" The boy just shook his head. He obviously wasn't expecting a real answer. "What do you know about being such a disgrace to your family that they can't even look at you?"

Since he couldn't answer a single question, he just shook his head again, his green eyes wide. I shook my head also and pulled my long hair up into a ponytail, wishing that the night would just end. I had went through a breakup, trying to figure out what the hell Theodore wanted from me and trying to shake the creepy Gryffindor off my back.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked sweetly, pulling me back by my wrist.

"Let go of me!" I snarled, turning to face him.

"Not until you answer my question," he said smugly, the corners of his mouth pulling up in a smile.

"Fine. Yes, I'm okay. Would everyone stop asking me that?" I screeched, sitting down on the bottom step to the girls dormitories. He just laughed and sat down next to me. "And why do you find that we should be such good friends? Just in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a fan of Gryffindors."

"And we aren't exactly fans of Slytherins," he replied, winking.

"We?"

"Us Gryffindors. So technically, you're breaking all sorts of rules." I laughed at that, finally glad to have a respite from the drama that was my life. "Yes! I finally got a laugh!" I chuckled, and wiped a tear away from my eye. "I don't know you're name though, so my victory is _very_ short lived."

I bit my lip, trying to decide whether I should tell him or not. Sure he was cute, but he was a Gryffindor and if my parents found out that I was officially making friends with Gryffindors, then I could kiss living at home good bye. But then again, at least I could kind of fit in here. But did I really want to throw away everything I had worked up to? And then it was slipping out of my mouth. "I'm Kole," I smiled, holding my hand out for him to shake.

"Liam. Liam Burke," he smiled back, shaking my hand and laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked, my voice full of mock hurt.

"Nothing." I shook my head and stuck my tongue out, walking up the stairs. "Where are you going?"

"Away!" I laughed, walking into the girls dormitory. I laid down on my bed, wondering how all of this could have happened. I broke up with the perfect Slytherin boyfriend and now I was becoming friends with the weird Gryffindor kid. What the hell was happening with my life?


	11. I Just Wanna Live

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, only my character and my ideas! **

**XoXo **

"That kid wants you downstairs," Granger said from above me, pulling on my arm. I glared at her, my bleary eyes just making her out in the dark.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered, glaring at where I thought she was. "And did you really think that it was necessary to wake me up?" She just giggled, that stupid giggle that did nothing to quench her odd teacher's pet ways. I glared again and finally got up, rubbing my eyes and feeling the chill set into my bones. "God. Who are you talking?"

"That guy you were talking to before," she said as though I was mental. I rolled my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair, checking my watch as I did so.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" I whispered hotly, standing up and pulling my blanket around my shoulders. The only way I could tell that she moved her head was because her bush of hair was swirling around her face. "Well, it's officially 2:15 in the morning and if you ever wake me up like this again, I swear to Merlin that you are going to die! Got it?"

"Yes," she squeaked, running back to her bed and cowering underneath her blankets. I scoffed and made my way downstairs, shivering with every step.

Now, if I was in my right mind, this would not be happening. I would just go back to my bed, sink into the warmth of my blankets and sleep the night away. But, unfortunately, I was not in my right mind. I was somewhere in the depths that being a Gryffindor might be a good thing. I mean, obviously not the whole your parents hate you so you should just go to bed and pretend that none of them exist except for when you want to make fun of them. But then again, was it really worth trying to get in with the Gryffindors _and_ the Slytherins? I was so out of my element.

"What the bloody hell do you think your doing?" I hissed at him when I saw that he was just lounging on the sofa in front of the fire. "It's 2 in the morning and you just had to wake me up? If you ask me, you are just so bloody crazy you shouldn't even be here! You should in St. Mungo's you bloody mental child!"

"What do you think of this picture?" Liam asked, throwing it at me. It hit my feet and I glared down at it, trying to figure out what was going on. I finally bent down to pick it up, holding it as though it was going to plague me.

"What?" I asked exasperatedly, walking to the front of the sofa. He just smiled, his green eyes twinkling in the fire light. "You woke me up just to look at a picture? Are you mental? I'm going back to bed!"

I turned away from him, getting ready to stomp up the stairs as loudly as I possibly could. But just as I took one step, his hand wrapped around my wrist, again. I whipped my head around, trying to figure out what was going on behind his beautiful green eyes. Wait, what was that thought? Why did that come into my head? No Gryffindor can have beautiful green eyes! It's just not possible! And why was I even down here? I should be upstairs sleeping the rest of the night away.

"Please stay," he pleaded, his face looking like he actually cared about whether I stayed or not. I rolled my eyes, but nodded, sitting down on the chair, trying to blink the tiredness out of my eyes. "Not over there. Sit here. Next to me."

"No," I said indignantly, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him.

"Why not?"

"Because I can't touch Gryffindors willingly! It's one of the rules of being a Malfoy and being in this godforsaken house!" I groaned, covering my head with my blanket and feeling a yawn coming on. And then I felt the worst thing of all, his hand touching my back. "Get off of me!" I said, my voice muffled slightly.

"All right," he laughed, removing his hand from my back and his low chuckle rumbled through the room. "What year are you in? Same as your brother or are you older?"

"I'm in the same year, thank you very much!" I snapped, pulling the blanket off of my head and spitting hair out of my mouth, rolling my eyes. "Why? What year are you in?"

"The year above you," he smiled, smoothing my hair down. "And because you seem older than him. You compose yourself much better than he does. Plus you have that air of being much older than the rest of us."

"Don't touch me," I hissed, smacking his hand down. The smile that was lighting his face up flickered for a second, but then it was turned on full force. "And I am only fourteen thank you very much! Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go back to bed. Don't want to be tired for the morning."

"Of course not," Liam chuckled, sticking his foot out for me to trip on. I skillfully stepped over it, sticking my tongue out at him only to find myself on the floor. "Yeah, there's a chair there."

I smiled and then started laughing, officially rolling on the floor with tears streaming out of my eyes because I was laughing too hard. Finally, when my sides hurt and I thought that I was going insane because it was three in the morning and I was still downstairs with a boy that I had officially just met the other day, I got up off of the floor and looked him in the eyes.

"I hope you know that I don't normally talk to people like you," I whispered, leaning in close so that I could see the whites of his gorgeous eyes. I officially did _not_ care whether his eyes were pretty or not.

"People like me?" he asked softly, twisting one olive-toned hand in the other.

"You know," I said touching his forehead. "Gryffindors. I don't ever talk to them civilly."

"This is civilly?" he asked, his voice still low and a small smile on his lips.

"Much more civil than any other Gryffindor I've talked to before. You should feel very happy about that," I whispered, pecking his cheek. My eyes widened as I realized what I just did. Not only was I not supposed to talk to Gryffindor's, I was most definitely not supposed to kiss them on the cheek like I just did! "That was a mistake. That was definitely not supposed to happen, you should just completely forget that ever happened!"

"What happened?" he asked quietly, his lips close to my ear and his breath moving my hair.

"Perfect," I said seriously, getting up from the couch and making my way up to my bed.

"Wait." I turned to face Liam one more time, my eyes raking over his handsome face. And then he kissed me. It was so sudden and so odd that I couldn't help but reach my hand up and smack him, wanting nothing more than to get away from him. "What the hell are you doing?"

But I couldn't look at him. My cheeks were burning and I ran up the stairs, laying down on my bed and letting hot tears caress my cheeks. I was doing it. I was actually falling for a Gryffindor. How could I?


	12. Must Be Dreamin'

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, only my character and my ideas! **

**I tried to make this like the book, but I lost it and so now I have to go with the movie! Which is very upsetting! Oh, well! Here we go . . .**

**XoXo **

The next morning I was sitting down at the Gryffindor table, eating my breakfast and trying to read the _Daily Prophet_ that was in my hands. I officially got no sleep the previous night because of a certain someone. He had been on my mind all night and that does not make for good sleeping material. When your mind is churning and your senses are heightened because of something that just happened, you cannot fall asleep. I figured that out last night. Thank you, Liam Burke!

"Morning," Liam said in that ridiculously cheery voice that always seem to escape from his adorable Irish mouth. And yes, I just called him adorable. Do I care? Not really! But I just continued to eat my toast, trying to block him out of my mind. "Ah, the silent treatment. You know that never works, right?"

"Can you just leave me alone?" I hissed, slamming my paper down and glaring at him. "I am not supposed to talk to you!"

"Do you always do what you're supposed to or do you sometimes blow that off?" he asked, a smile tugging his lips up and his gorgeous green eyes twinkling at me. "Because you don't seem like the type of person that does what she's supposed to." 

"Well, that's just great! I'm glad you know me after just one day!" I snapped, getting up from the table and throwing my paper at him. "And next time, I suggest not doing anything that you'll regret! No guy kisses me without getting hurt!" Liam just stared at me, his fork inches from his mouth, completely forgotten. I glared at him, walking over to the Slytherin table. "And don't talk to me again!" I called over my shoulder, without turning around.

I sat down heavily, putting my head in my hands and rubbing my temples where the headache was starting to set in. I looked over at Draco who was smirking down at me. I rolled my eyes but didn't do anything to stop him. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted, I was supposed to be feeling horrible. I had just broken up with Theodore and obviously he was cut up about it. What would people say if they thought I didn't regret?

"You're mumbling to yourself," Draco laughed, pulling my head up. "People are going to start to think that you're completely mental."

"I don't care. They can think whatever they want," I grumbled, my voice muffled because of my hands. Draco just laughed. "I am so sick of the Gryffindors! Like, can I please go back home? Today?" Blaise chuckled at that statement while Parkinson just looked on, obviously trying very hard not to laugh.

"No you don't. You would miss that random guy too much," Blaise snickered, putting his fork in his mouth. "Who is he anyway? You were talking to him yesterday and again today. Something we should know about?" I groaned rolled my eyes and hit him on the shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being an idiot!" I said harshly, sticking my tongue out at him. "And no. There is nothing going on. He's just . . . an annoying Gryffindor. Exactly like the rest of them as it turns out." Draco nodded skeptically, but he nodded all the same. "Anyway, I just came over here to say good morning. I have to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts. By the way, have you guys had Moody yet?"

"Nope. He's later on today," Blaise said quickly, checking his schedule. I nodded and got up from the table, waving to them as I walked away. Maybe Liam _wasn't_ rubbing of on me.

XoXo

I was sitting down in Moody's class, bored out of my mind because all the Gryffindor's could do was talk and gossip and not include any _important_ people in their discussions. Not that I wanted to be included, it just would be nice every once in a while. You know, to have people want to talk to me. And not just the creepy Gryffindor that was half-stalking me now. But then again, if people did start to talk to me, then I would kind of like it here and that definitely was _not_ allowed!

"Miss Malfoy! Head up and pay attention when I am talking!" Moody growled, throwing a piece of chalk at me. I jumped and rubbed my eyes, much to the enjoyment of my House-mates. "You too, Miss Brown! Pay attention when I talk!" I turned around and saw Brown shoving that chart that we were supposed to make for Trelawney under her desk. "Now, who knows what the three Unforgivable Curses are? Just give me one, mind you!"

A few tentative hands reached for the sky, including mine, Weasley's and Granger's. I rolled my eyes when I saw theirs and put mine down, knowing that I wouldn't be called because I already made Moody pissed at me. Wow, what a little quitter I am right? But hey, I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't quit sometimes! And don't even pretend that you have never quit anything before either!

"All right! Weasley! What's one of the curses?" Moody growled, his grotesque face coming closer to Weasley's face.

"Well, my Dad told me about one," Weasley stammered, his brown eyes looking at the floor and then back up again. "The Imperius Curse."

"Yes," Moody grunted, glaring at all of us. He dug around in the jar of spiders in front of him and pulled out a little one. "This will need to be a little bigger to give you all the effect. _Engorgio. Imperio_." He made the spider larger and made the spider do a little jig around the room and land on the classes faces.

This went on for a little while until we gave him the rest of the curses, much to our chagrin. Unfortunately, I was not paying attention for any of it and was probably going to get bad marks. But that was okay. It's not like anyone played attention to me anyway.


	13. Wake Up Call

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.**

**A/N: So how long has it been exactly? About four months? I don't know if I'll be updating regularly, but I will be updating whenever I can find a spare moment in my life filled with: work, school, friends, one novel and a series! Anyway! On with the story! I hope you like it now that I'm back :D Sorry it's so short. I'm just getting back into the swing of things...**

**XoXo**

I silently made my way down the stairs, not showing a single emotion on my face as I listened to the conversations around me. Not a single one peaked my interest until I heard Weasley, Potter and Granger whispering about the class we had just sat through. I nonchalantly pushed my blonde hair out of my ears, and leaned forward, trying to listen in to their conversation.

"I personally think that that was a terrible way to start out the year! Making Neville stand up and watch as he performed the Cruciatus curse! Obviously Professor Moody doesn't know what happened to his parents," Granger said in that uppity, nasally tone of hers.

I rolled my eyes, but quickened my pace, opening my fat mouth to give her my own views that could hardly mean more than nothing to her. "I _personally_ thought that it was an amazing class! I learned a lot that I had never known before," I said in a sickly sweet voice that was so heavy, I was surprised that my jaw didn't break from the weight of it.

"Yeah, the only reason that is is because your precious daddy never got around to teaching it to you," Weasley muttered under his breath. I sucked in a deep breath and shot daggers into his back, willing myself not to say anything that would get me into my second detention that week.

Potter and Granger let out barks of laughter, raising my temper to its boiling point. "What did you say to me, Weasley?" I hissed, narrowing my black eyes.

He shot a look back at me and I raised my pale eyebrows, daring him to say something other than the truth. "I said nothing. It was stupid. A lie actually. Sorry," he muttered, shooting me pensive looks after every word.

"That's what I thought," I said brightly, patting him on his red head. I lightly skipped down the stairs, waving at them as I left, trying not to let any of them actually see what was going on in my head.

About half way down the stairs I tripped over a certain Neville Longbottom who had decided to spend his afternoon crying by the windowsill. I landed flat on my back with my blonde hair everywhere and a nasty glare pasted on my face. I slowly stood up, wincing at the pain in my hip but didn't allow Neville to see one stitch of the pain that bloomed along the side of my body. A terrified, shocked look fell into place on his round cheeks and I nodded, signifying that he was right in feeling the fear.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're _doing_ Longbottom?" I screamed, placing a hand on my bruised thigh. Pain and recognition at how screwed he was flickered across his face. I smirked and let a mirthless laugh escape from my lips. "Get out of the way," I hissed, pushing him into the wall. "Try not to kill anyone else while you're at it, all right, Longbottom? No wonder why they call you a dimwit."


	14. Folding Chair

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

"I heard about the Longbottom incident," Draco half-whispered, leaning over the Slytherin table and looking me square in the eye. I raised my eyebrows and took a bite of the potatoes on my plate. "Mum and Dad would be proud. They don't even think he belongs in a school like this."

"Because he doesn't," I hissed, waving my fork at him. "And besides, I don't care what Mum and Dad think. I gave up on that a long time ago."

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He acted like he was surprised that I didn't care about what my parents said to me. But I don't. I could care less as to whether they think about me or not. Which they don't. If you were wondering. But what surprised me the most about the way that Draco was acting was that he suddenly seemed to want to _whisper _about the way that we tortured the less-fortunate wizards. Everyone knew that we were mean and sarcastic. In fact everyone almost _expected_ us to be.

"How was Moody, K?" Blaise asked, trying to seem nonchalant, but leaning in when I opened my mouth to reply.

I smirked and looked down at my lap for a minute. Everyone was watching me with baited breath. I cherished this feeling; that people wanted to hear what I had to say. That no one wanted to bash me for thinking a certain way. Not that they would because, you know, I could rip them apart with one flick of my razor sharp tongue.

"It was all right, I guess," I replied, a smirk caressing my pale face.

"All right? You're telling me that Alastor Moody, the reknowned _Auror_'s lesson was just _okay_?" Parkinson sneered, her nostrils flaring so wide that I could practically see her brain through the wide tunnels.

I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calculate how much I wanted to hurt the poor dear. Aw, who the hell am I kidding? I broke loose! With charm, of course.

"Well, _Pansy_. Suppose you were in _my_ situation. With Hot-Shot Potter, Know-It-All Granger and Poor Weasley." I could practically see her brain smoking with the effort of being used. "Do you think the lesson would have been very interesting?" Parkinson narrowed her eyes and looked at Draco for help. My dear older brother simply shrugged and nodded for me to continue with my riveting tale. "Moody has chosen dear little Potter to be his pet for the year and of course, Weasley and Granger just go along with him."

Blaise sniggered and covered his mouth with his hand. I cocked my head to the side and watched him carefully.

"Yes, Blaise?" I simpered, leaning across the table and resting my chin on my hand. "Is there something that you would like to share withthe rest of us?"

"Your new boyfriend is looking at you." He nodded over at the Gryffindor table and a smirk spread across his lips. I rolled my eyes and flicked the poor boy off. "Oi! No finger-swearing at the table!"

"Would you rather me state it out loud?" Blaise silently shook his head and I smiled. "That's what I thought."

I sighed and pushed the plate of food in front of me towards Blaise, knowing that he would eat it. Parkinson was glaring at me with those tiny little slits that she considered eyes. I blew her a kiss and ran my fingers through my long sheet of blond hair. It was only the third day at Hogwarts and I already wished I could go home. Not that home was much of a reprieve.

"Why are you here?" Parkinson asked, scrunching her pig's nose up in disgust. Not that it took much effort considering you already see most of the way up. "I mean, you're not in Slytherin where people might at least tolerate you. You're in Gryffindor where _no_ one likes you and, I don't mean to push any buttons here," she batted her eyelids at Draco who had his hand on his wand, "but you're not that great of a witch. Sorry."

Draco and I stood up simultaneously, our wands pointed at Parkinson's massive forehead. She squeaked and fumbled for her own wand. My eyes were narrowed and I could feel anger lacing my veins. I dove across the table, rugby tackled the sorry girl and began to beat a tattoo on her face with my fists.

My pale face was white with anger as I rounded my fists into her ugly face. Who was she to gain the _audacity_ to say those things to me when no one, _no one_ wanted her around! She treated people, like me, as though I wasn't worth being the dirt under her nails!

"Don't you _EVER _say _anything_ like that to me again! I am a much better witch than you will _ever_ be! You think you can just go around to everyone and say whatever you want and people will like you?" I laughed mirthlessly, sending a punch right to her gut. "You're just an ugly, dog-faced bitch who needs to make fun of everyone around her because NO ONE LIKES YOU! And you KNOW it! Damn, do you know it! So why don't you just SHUT UP and-"

"Miss Malfoy." I froze with my fist in the air. I turned my head and rolled my eyes. "Stand up and look at me." I sighed, but did as I was told. McGonagall had her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowed and her face flushed with anger. "Would anyone care to explain to me what is going on over here?"

Her steely eyes roamed over the Slytherin table, but no one said anything. She finally looked at Draco and motioned for him to stand up. "Malfoy. Help Parkinson up and you," she glared at me, forcing shame into my mind, "you will wait here for me until I come back with Professor Snape."

"Why me, Professor? I wasn't involved!" Draco pleaded like the little coward he had decided to be. I elbowed him in the side and rolled my eyes.

"In my opinion there are always three sides to a story: the victim, the inflictor, and the innocent. That is why I said your name, Malfoy." With that she turned on her heel and marched right up to Snape.

I glared at Parkinson. I didn't feel sorry for the ugly bruises that were blooming across her face, not for the blood streaming out of her nose and not for the tears that were streaming down her unrecognizable face. She clutched at Draco, but he just shoved her off. Unquenchable anger ran through the delicate nerves of my body and it was all I could do to keep from rounding on her again. The stupid bitch was the cause of most of my problems and yet it was only I that seemed to get into trouble.


	15. Dust Bowl Dance

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

My head was hung as we walked through the quiet hallways. I felt shame sour in my stomach as McGonagall stalked between my brother and I and Snape padded behind me to keep Parkinson and I apart. I had tried to explain that it wasn't my fault. Well, not entirely, but they made it clear that I was to not talk until we had a full trial. Or whatever they were calling this.

We finally stopped at McGonagall's office. She opened the door and motioned for the three of us to sit in front of her overlarge desk. We each aquiesced silently and sat as one. She sat at the chair behind her desk and laced her fingers together, peering over her glasses at us. Snape quietly stood behind her, his stern expression making it clear that he would much rather be eating.

"Miss Malfoy. Would you kindly tell us what happened back in the Great Hall between you and Miss Parkinson?" McGonagall asked, her thin lips tightening with anger.

"I don't see why you want to hear it," I hissed, when all you're going to do is punish me anyway and let _Parkinson _walk away with naught but a tap on the hand," I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest and rolling my eyes.

McGonagall sighed and massaged her temples, Snape smirked and leaned in close to my face. "Listen to me, Miss Malfoy," he hissed, his hot breath covering my face. I tried to turn my face away, but he grabbed my cheeks in one hand and forced me to look at him. "We are giving you a chance to show that what you did is forgivable. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I hissed, twisting my head away from his grip. He sneered, smoothed his greasy hair and went back to where McGonagall was sitting. Her eyes followed him back to his spot and then watched me closely. I took a deep breath and told my story. "Parkinson asked me why I bothered to come to Hogwarts. She said that no one in Gryffindor liked me, people in Slytherin only tolerated me and that I wasn't a good witch. Draco and I stood up, but I jumped across the table and tackled her to the ground."

"And why did she say those things, Kole?" McGonagall asked in mock-patience.

"I dunno. Maybe because she hates me! Maybe because she _knows_ that everyone likes me and not her because she has nothing nice to say." Parkinson rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to say something. "Don't even let a word come out of your mouth. No one wants to hear a lie."

"Miss Malfoy," McGonagall warned, watching me carefully. I rolled my eyes but sank back into my chair. I saw Draco smirk out of the corner of my eye and punched him in the gut. He let out a pained oomph and glared at me. He raised his hand and flicked a stray piece of blond hair out of his eyes. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I was just wondering why I'm here? Since I am Kole's brother, wouldn't that make me biased and more likely to pick her side of the story instead of telling the real one?" he asked diplomatically, pulling out all of the strings to make his opinion count.

"Good question, Malfoy. But I am relying on you to make the right decision and go with your conscience." McGonagall winked and turned to me again. "Is that all, Miss Malfoy?"

"Yes! That's all and that's the real story, so I don't even know why we're going through all of this unnecessary crap!"

McGonagall let out a deep breath and looked at Parkinson, motioning for her to start her story.

"Well, I was just quietly enjoying my dinner and Kole started lording Moody's class and how 'epic' it was. We were all sick of her rubbing her amazing life in all of our faces and she just snapped. She started calling me a bitch and Blaise a stupid kid who had no business being in all of the classes as he was. And then there was the whole Neville-incident, which is just sick in my mind. She just insulted a poor little boy. And then I asked her why she was over at our table when she had clearly been Sorted into Gryffindor." The little liar even managed a tear when she said this part: "And then she just dove towards me and knocked me on the ground. I don't know hwo I'm going to go out in public this, I just don't."

McGonagall sniffed and looked up at Snape, who simply nodded. I rolled my eyes and scraped my hands through my long hair. Draco turned to look at me, his silver eyes meeting my black ones and smirked. I smiled and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Well, thank you, Miss Parkinson for that lovely retelling of the story," McGonagall said charmingly. I rolled my eyes and silently pleaded for Snape to at least listen to my side of the story.

"Malfoy," Snape said sharply, causing both of our heads to snap up. He glared at me and I glared back. People should really start being specific when they say our last names. Jeez. It's like, I don't know, they think that Draco is the only real Malfoy. Which, according to our parents, he is. But these people aren't my parents so they have no cause to think like that!

"Yes, Professor?" Draco simpered, his goody two-shoes behavior shining briefly.

"Tell us the real story."

"Of course, Professor." Draco smirked and smoothed his hair down. "Well, it happened just like Kole said it did, except Pansy started it a little before Kole said she did. You see, Blaise had asked Kole how Professor Moody's lesson was and Kole said something that Pansy didn't like so she went off. And then later on, Pansy just sort of started insulted Kole. Well, we both stood up, but Kole sprung into action first and the next thing you know, they were both on the floor."

McGonagall and Snape both nodded. I bit my lip, waiting for the words to say whether Parkinson was getting in trouble or not.

"Miss Parkinson, 15 points from Slytherin and detention with me tomorrow night," Snape dished, throwing her punishment at her like it was no big deal. I smirked and nodded. Draco smiled and winked at me. "You two may go." Draco and I made to stand up, but Snape interrupted us. "Not you, Miss Malfoy. Stay."

"What? Why? I didn't do anything this entire time! Not one thing!" I yelled, slamming my hands onto McGonagall's desk.

"We are going to talk to you privately. Sit. Down." I rolled my eyes, gritted my teeth but listened to McGonagall.

I watched as Parkinson and Draco walked out of the cramped office. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the two Professor's that were keeping me prisoner.

"We have decided to take 50 points from Gryffindor-"

"What? How is that fair? Parkinson was the one that started it and I get the huge punishment? My father will hear about this, just so you know."

"Oh, he already has, Malfoy," Snape hissed, bringing his cold black eyes to level with mine. "And you can be rest assured that you will be hearing about it tomorrow." I gulped down my fear and narrowed my eyes. "And you will have detention with McGonagall every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next month. Starting tomorrow."

"What?"

"And detention with me every Tuesday and Thursday."

"This is completely unfair!"

McGonagall frowned and stood up. "Maybe this will teach you how to treat other students, Miss Malfoy."

I rolled my eyes and stood up. My angry footsteps sounded as loud as elephants as I stomped across the room and slammed her office door shut. An entire month's worth of detention for punching Parkinson? When she was the one that started it? And if that's not enough, telling my father! What would it take to get just a simple year at Hogwarts with no bullies, no bitches and no beatings?

I raked my fingers through my hair and made my way to the Gryffindor tower. Nothing sounded better than curling up in my bed and sleeping the night away.


	16. I'm Gonna Find Another You

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

I stomped my way up the stairs, anger clouding my vision and questions flooding into my mind. How could anyone even _begin_ to think that what had just happened was fair? I was forced into detention with both Snape and McGonagall every day for a month and Parkinson hardly got a thing. I shook my head and laughed mirthlessly. How could I expect it to be any different? I was a Malfoy after all and when one hears the name Malfoy one can only expect the worse.

I arrived and the Fat Lady and said the password without hesitation, throwing as much hatred into it as I could. She sniffed and muttered something under her breath, but opened nonetheless. I stamped into the common room and pushed my fingers through my hair, rubbing my tired eyes.

"Aw, is poor Princess Malfoy tired?" Liam asked, sauntering over to me and slinging an arm around my shoulders. "How was McGonagall? Not too harsh I hope."

"Get off of me," I growled, my black eyes glinting dangerously.

"Not so good then? Here, let me take care of it." He grabbed my hand and winked in what I supposed was a seductive move.

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" I yelled, my fists clenched at my sides and my face pale with harsh anger. "I have told you time and time again that I. Don't. Like. Gryffindors! What can't you get about that? I don't like you, you don't like me, why even try to pretend any differently?" Liam's jaw dropped open and his lips formed a perfect "o". "You act like you know me. Pretend that everything I do is just something you predicted because I'm just a ticking time bomb! You act like every little thing that I do is just sort of pathetic attempt at keeping up appearances because I can't bear having anyone think that I'm happy here!"

"But-I thought-"

"Exactly! You _th_o_ught_! Thinking does not constitute knowing! So why can't you just leave me alone to live my life in peace?"

I watched Liam's face move through different emotions. There was shock, anger, fear and a little laughter. He finally just shook his head and made his way to the boys' dormitories. Guilt soured in my stomach for a split second but a quick look at the rest of the Gryffindors sent that guilt right back to where it belonged!

I sighed and ran my fingers over my face. I rolled my eyes, knowing immediately that I was going to regret what I was about to do. But of course, being the stupid girl I am, I did it anyway.

XoXo

The door swung open and I was greeted by Liam's harsh, angry face. He sighed and pushed the door closed. I quickly shoved my hand between the doorframe and the door, trying to stop him. It didn't work. He slammed the door on my arm, causing searing pain to burn up my arm.

"What?" Liam said shortly, narrowing his eyes and leaning against the frame.

I sniffed and cradled my arm against my chest. "No, 'are you okay?' 'I am so sorry, can I help you?'" I growled, watching the skin on my arm turn a violent red. He raised his eyebrows and I could see the muscles in his jaw working. I sighed and closed my eyes for a split second, wondering how I was going to go about this.

"I'm sorry," I finally said, trying to put as much sincerity into those two words as I could.

"Wow. You're sorry. That's great. Could you go now?"

My heart sank as I realized that he really wasn't going to forgive me. I felt tears well up in my eyes and gritted my teeth. He wasn't going to see me cry. This stupid Gryffindor wasn't going to see me cry. I took a deep breath and shook my head, trying to think of something scathing, but nothing came. I bit my lip, looked into those pretty green eyes and opened my mouth.

"I am sorry, Liam. I've never said that to anyone before. No one's deserved it." I let the words hit him for a second before I said anything else. His face softened for a split second, but it hardened right back up. "Fine. Forget I said anything."

I turned around and stomped down the stairs. I felt a tear slip down my cheek, but did nothing to stop it. There was no way that that fifth year had made me cry. Something must have been in my eye. I couldn't have feelings for this guy. I just couldn't. He wasn't worth my time and, besides, I didn't even know if he was Pureblood, Mudblood or just Half-Blood. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the step. Why couldn't I just pull my life off with finesse? Why couldn't I be one of those people who had nothing to be upset about, or that masked everything?

"Face it, Kole," I whispered. "You're life sucks, the one guy you might have had a chance with now hates you and you have detention with McGonagall and Snape for a month. Better stop while you're ahead."


	17. Pumped Up Kicks

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

I woke up the next morning with a throbbing arm, a pounding head and dried tears crusting my cheeks. I groaned and sat up, pushing my fingers through my knotted hair. All I wanted to do was crawl back underneath my covers and pretend like nothing had happened. That there had been no explosion, no apology and no regret.

I stretched my long body and rolled my eyes. They weren't gonna beat me. I was gonna drive them all into the ground. Prove to them that I am stronger than all of them. Tears pooled in my eyes again and I rubbed at them with the back of my hand.

"Something wrong?" Granger asked nervously, her flat brown eyes sticking out from her bush of hair.

"What do you care, Granger? Want to know what's wrong just so you can go and tell your little boyfriends Potter and Weasley? I don't think so," I growled, snapping my clothes up from my trunk and changing. She whimpered and smoothed down her skirt, trying to calm herself. "That's what I thought."

I stomped down the stairs and ran right into the back of the one person I had never wanted to see again. I bit my lip and tried to smooth my hair down.

Liam turned around, a smile playing on his lips. I straightened up, unwelcome excitement threading my veins. A felt a smile stretch across my own lips and I looked up in his green eyes only to find cold indifference. The soft smile had fallen into a harsh sneer. I wasn't forgiven, then. I gulped and ran my fingers through my hair, disappointment bogging me down.

"What?" he asked harshly, taking a step back.

I held my breath for a split second, trying not to say something I would regret within a few minutes.

"Nothing," I spat just as harshly, wincing as the word passed through my lips. "Watch where you're standing next time."

XoXo

"You look like hell," Draco laughed as I sat across from him at the Slytherin table. I nodded but didn't say anything.

I was ashamed that I couldn't even sit at the Gryffindor table without feeling horrible. Why did I care so much about the stupid boy? He was a Gryffindor and a damn cocky one at that! He didn't care if I had detention, if I liked my classes or how horrible my life was. But then again, he was the only person that had put any interest into me before. Not even my parents could put forth that much effort.

I sighed, frustrated that I had let myself gain feelings for someone who didn't deserve my time.

"You're muttering. Again." Draco was watching me with concerned silver eyes. I shook my head and plastered a fake smile onto my face. It took so much effort that my cheeks hurt within five seconds. "Are you okay?"

"Of course. Nothing can faze the perfect Kole Malfoy," I said cheerily, waving him away.

Draco rolled his eyes, grabbed my wrist and pulled me off of the bench. I started to protest as loudly as I could, but he wouldn't relent. He dragged me through the hallways until we were finally alone. I snatched my wrist from his grip and glared at him.

"What the hell, Drake? Why did you go and do that?" I yelled, my eyes narrowing in anger.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked nonchalantly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean what's wrong with me? Nothing's wrong with me! _I'm _not the one who just dragged me away from the table like a complete loon!"

"Did something happen between you and that guy?" I rolled my eyes and stamped away, scraping my fingers through my hair. "Fine! Mum and Dad wanted me to tell you that they're proud of you for standing up for yourself against Parkinson!"


	18. IDGAF

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

"You're lying!" I shot back, not even bothering to turn around. I could tell that he was smirking, knowing that his statement had penetrated my tough exterior.

His loud footsteps slammed against the hard ground as he ran towards me. My shoulder tightened as he placed a hand on it. I rolled my eyes, but turned around to look into his silver eyes. The smirk was there, just as I had predicted it and he was carrying something in his pale hand. "Weren't you wondering at all why there wasn't a Howler waiting for you when you woke up this morning?" he asked in that horrible I-know-more-than-you voice. I rolled my eyes again but nodded my yes. "Here. Read it."

He shoved the piece of paper at me and beckoned for me to take it. I sighed but grabbed it, hungry for the knowledge of what was inside of it. My eyes quickly scanned my father's tiny writing and widened with each new sentence. I finally finished it, folded it back up and pushed it back at Draco.

"What does that mean?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice calm and collected.

"What do you think it means?" Draco growled. "For as smart as you _pretend_ to be, Kole, you really can be a dumb ass."

I laughed and rolled my eyes but smiled gratefully. Draco nodded that he understood and looped his arm through mine. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt something untwist itself in the back of my neck. Everything was going to be okay. I wasn't going to get a Howler for beating Parkinson within an inch of her life, I was going to reconcile with Liam and everything was going to resolve itself in time. Nothing could go wrong.

Until it did.

Breakfast had just finished as Draco and I were making our way back to the Great Hall. Teems of students pushed past the both of us and hurried off to class. I sneered and pushed back, refusing to land on the ground. I was going strong, even knocking a couple of first years onto their backs, until I caught a glimpse of him. You all know who I'm talking about. And I'm sure that you're shaking your head asking yourself "why Kole? Why?" And I'm going to tell you.

Stop it. You look like you're mad.

Now, back to the story. My breath caught in my throat but I couldn't do anything about it. I had to keep up the appearances that seeing him meant nothing more to me than a fly buzzing past my nose. He was just a nuisance and unworthy of my time. If only, if only.

"Follow me." The deep voice covered me like a silky blanket and I found myself shaking my head. My heart was screaming and pounding, threatening to break free of my chest while my head just laughed and shook its head. Liam rolled his eyes and grabbed my wrist.

"What do you think you're doing?" I shrieked, clawing at his giant paw. "Let go of me this instant! Liam!"

We finally stopped once we were out of sight and hearing distance of anyone that would past. Liam's green eyes met my own black ones and I felt myself hold down a shiver and place a sneer onto my lips. I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows, jutting my chin out defiantly and putting all of my weight onto one leg.

"Something you wanted to tell me?" I growled, shaking my blonde hair out of my face.

Liam just bit his lip and shuffled his feet, obviously uncomfortable. "What do you think you're doing?" he said harshly, his green eyes glaring from beneath his brown flop of hair.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, unwilling to continue with this conversation. "I don't have time for this, I'm gonna be late to class." I turned to go, but his warm hand gripped my wrist and pulled me back. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a split second, trying to channel all of my anger onto him. Long story short, it didn't work. "Let go of me."

"Not until you tell me what's going on with you! You may be mean, coarse and unloving, but nothing I did warranted what happened last night," he growled harshly, his hand tightening on my wrist.

I laughed shortly and shook my head, surprised at the bark that had escaped from my mouth. "Nothing you did warranted what I said last night." I just stared at him, trying to think of something biting to say. "And what about every other night? Kissing me against my will, treating me as though you know every single thing that I do and _talking_ to me in front of my brother! What about those things?"

"What you just said makes no sense! Those were little, innocent things that no one can take badly! Except for you, apparently."

"Oh yeah, that's me! The girl who takes _every little thing_ too seriously and can't take a joke!" Liam scoffed and shook his head, a satiisfied half-smile lighting on his lips. I narrowed my eyes and turned on my heel, making to walk away. I closed my eyes and turned around, ready to light into him. "Why can't you just say that! Say it to my face! Right here, right now! Tell me I'm selfish, angry and hateful! Do it!"

Liam bit his lip and shook his head, uncomfortable with my angry burst. "No. I can't."

"Ha!" I laughed, pointing a finger in his face. "You can't do it because you don't feel that way! If you did you would have no problem screaming that with gusto! And you know it's true!"

"I don't have to say anything to prove a point! And you want the truth?" He yelled, my face now wet with his spit. "Fine! You're rude, you're arrogant, you don't care about anyone else's feelings because you don't think that they care about yours and you think that you should make everyone's lives miserable because yours is horrible!" I nodded, a smirk on my lips. I agreed with all of them. There was nothing to be ashamed of. "But what you don't understand is that I care."

My jaw dropped and my guard was dropped. Every emotion that I felt was written across my face when those words registered in my ears.

"Wait." Disbelief coated my tongue as I tried to make a coherent sentence. "What?"

Liam nodded, but didn't continue with his statement. He looked around and whispered into my ear. I smiled and nodded, but didn't make a move. He turned around and ran towards his class. I sighed and shook my head. I was afraid. The first time I could ever admit it. The fear wasn't bad, it was just . . . different. I had nothing to be afraid of. Other than my feelings. The feelings that were spreading through my body like a warm cup of tea. Those were the only things that I had to be afraid of.


	19. Poison and Wine

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

I sat in Moody's classroom, last seat in the very back, just like I did in every class. It was the best way to ensure that they wouldn't call on you. My mind was outside of the classroom, floating across the grounds in blissful imagination. I turned my father's letter over in my hands, trying to make sense of what he had said. The tiny script flowed through my mind, lacing the imaginary blades of grass with inky dark words, my father's voice riding on the wind.

"And, Draco, we heard about the fiasco that happened in the Great Hall last night between your sister and Pansy Parkinson." I could imagine my father sneering at the way her name tasted sour on the tongue. A small smile perked my lips up and I sighed. "Although it pains me to say this: we are proud of your sister. She is finally showing her true Slytherin pride. Perhaps I shall contact Dumbledore and see if there is anyway to move your sister into her rightful house."

A swift wind of satisfaction blew across my face as I rested my chin on the palm of my hand. I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear Professor Moody bark my name sharply. He limped his way over to my seat, his clubbed foot pounding against the stones that made up the floor. His meaty paw slammed down on my desk and his magical eye bore into my skull.

I sheepishly looked up and smiled. "Yes, Professor?" I asked snarkily, blowing a piece of pale blond hair out of my eyes.

Moody narrowed his good eye and brought his ugly face to my level. I bit my lip and silently berated myself for even opening my mouth.

"Do you enjoy detention, Malfoy?" he hissed, his hot, stinking breath covering my face.

I shrunched my nose and said the first thing that popped into my mind, "Of course not. No one _enjoys_ detention, Professor. And have you ever heard of a mint? They're quite useful in instances such as these." I smiled up at him, my diamond white teeth shining up at him.

He growled and pulled me up by my collar. I shrieked and protested, trying to rid myself of his grasp, but nothing was working. He finally threw me onto the ground, his back to me and the eyes of the class trained on what I would do next. I shrugged my shoulders, straightened my uniform, smoothed my skirt and tried to stand up.

Pain exploded from nowhere. I hadn't even heard a word uttered out of his lopsided mouth. I longed to keep the scream down, but nothing could stop it from wrenching itself from my lips. My back arched and I writhed on the floor, pain seeping from everywhere. I could feel tears slide down my cheeks, blood trickled from my mouth as a result of trying to keep my screams inside. I was barely conscious when it stopped.

I slid across the floor and slammed my back into the cold wall, my hands shaking uncontrollably. I took in a few breaths, trying to gain my composure. I looked up at Moody, tears still falling from my dark eyes and blood dribbling down my chin. He just stared at me, nothing in his face betrayed anything that he may have been feeling.

I finally stood up, my legs shaky from the spasms that they had just tried to fend off. I slowly made my way to my seat, trying to keep my head down to cover my disgusting face and the stares away. I sank into my chair and brought my knees to my chest. The blood from my chin left a red stain on my trousers but I didn't care. Nothing could warrant that kind of pain. Nothing ever said or done could deserve that much suffering. Nothing.

XoXo

I walked into McGonagall's office, my feet dragging on the cold stones. She didn't even look over her spectacles to acknowledge my presence. I could feel annoyance and anger bubble over in my little cauldron of emotions. All I wanted was to finish up with this unfair detention and climb into my bed. I scraped my fingers through my pale hair and slouched over, staring at my trainors. They had been spotless until Moody had me writhe on the floor in pain. Anger started to boil, annoyance long forgotten.

I sighed and tapped my fingers on the arm of the chair. Exhaustion crept through my brain, it's long fingers wrapping me in a friendly grip. I closed my eyes for a split second, unwilling to watch McGonagall the entire night.

I awoke with a start. I almost jumped out of my chair when I saw McGonagall staring at me with those stormy eyes. I sighed and stretched out my limbs.

"Nice of you to finally acknowledge my presence," I growled, leaning forward.

McGonagall lifted an eyebrow and pursed her lips. I felt a flash of fear fly through my body, but quickly disguised it with a smirk. "This is detention, Miss Malfoy, not nap time. If you truly desire a nap, then I would seriously suggest returning to Kindergarten," she said sternly, her disappointment evident in every word that flew past her lips.

"That's not fair!" I yelled, jumping out of my chair.

"Isn't it, Miss Malfoy?" she asked calmly, lacing her fingers together and placing them in front of her. "Now, do you wish to know what you are going to be doing as your punishment or not?"

I rolled my eyes but nodded, sinking back into my chair. The fact that her detention was probably going to be the best thing that happened to me all day was a tiny consolation.

"You see these parchments?" she pointed to a pile that was threatening to topple over onto the spotless floor. I nodded begrudgingly, I knew what she was going to have me do as soon as her thin finger stretched and showed the parchment. "I will need them organized."

"Organized?" I asked, half in desbelief and half in stupidity.

"Yes, Malfoy, organized. Into three piles." I groaned and ran my fingers through my hair. "One for grading, one for passing out and one for throwing away. Do you understand?"

"Sure." Anger threatened to spill over once more. "And how do I tell which one is which?"

"Well, you will ask me for the first few, and then you will gain the understanding of which is which. Understood?"

"Yes." She lifted her eyebrows and I sighed. "Yes, Professor. I understand." She smiled shortly and nodded.

I rolled my eyes and stomped over to the monstrous pile of parchment. There was more parchment in that one pile than I believed I had used in my entire life. And I used a lot.

Some of the pages were fresh, creamy parchment spoiled only by the ink that flowed across them. Others were spotted and yellowing with age. The rest were covered with black and red ink. I showed them to McGonagall, not a word passing through my lips. She nodded or pointed or grabbed them out of my hands. Anger, annoyance and exhaustion simmered beneath the surface, longing to get out and stretch their un-used limbs.

The minutes marched by as slowly as possible and I had to pinch myself when McGonagall finally said that I could leave. A satisfied smile spread across my lips. I saluted to her and sped out of the room as fast as I could, only to run into whom I had hoped to avoid.

"What do you want, Parkinson?" I growled, my hands clenching into fists.

"Nothing, Malfoy," she sighed, rolling her eyes and placing all of her weight onto one leg. "Or will saying that warrant another beating?"

"No." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at her for a minute. "I've recently decided that you're not worth the trouble."

Parkinson let out a bark of a laugh that made me jump back in surprise. "Recently? As in, when? Right now?" I narrowed my dark eyes and bit down on my lip, longing not to get into trouble right in front of McGonagall's office. "Oh, poor Kole. Did the cat get your tongue? Or did detention finally stifle you into being the _proper _Gryffidor?"

"Watch your tongue, Parkinson," I sneered, bringing my face inches from hers. "You wouldn't want a matching _wound_, now would you?"

"You wouldn't dare hurt me again. Not after what your father said about you."

I longed to reach my hand over and slap the smirk off of her doggish face. But she was lying, and violence couldn't be used on liars more than once in two days. I just rolled my eyes and walked away, not daring to be dragged into whatever game she was trying to play.

"That's right Kole, just walk away. Pretend that all the truth in the world has no impact on your ugly little face."

I turned around for a second and flipped her off, my lips twisting into a smile. Her jaw dropped and I blew her a kiss. I skipped down the hall, tracing the way to the Gryffindor tower.

XoXo

I stepped into the warm, friendly common room only to find it completely barren. Except for one person. The one person that I had longed to see since that morning. Liam looked up from his book and smiled at me, his emerald colored eyes dancing in the firelight. He flicked his brown hair to the side and stood up, his page saved with his index finger. I shyly smiled back and tried to think of something witty to say, but my mind was blank. My heart raced as he opened his mouth and bit his lip nervously.

"Hey," he finally managed, running his fingers through his already messy hair.

I laughed and felt the tension wash away. "'Hey?' You wait all day to see me and all you can say is 'hey?'" I teased, brushing my hair off of my shoulder. "Anything else you would like to say, genius?"

He pursed his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. I just laughed again and pulled my chest, letting the warmth from the fire wrap me in it's arms.

"What took you so long?" Liam finally managed.

I rolled my eyes and pulled my knees to my chest. "Detention. And then Parkinson had a few choice words to say to me," I growled, annoyance lifting it's heavy head in my stomach. "But don't worry. There was no violence this time." Liam laughed, a low chuckle that I never wanted to keep on repeat. "What about you? Did you decide that I'm more important than sleep or are you an insomniac. It had better be the first one because I can't deal with an insane person."

"What makes you think that you have to _deal_ with anything?" he asked in mock hurt.

"What? You just _decided_ to sit down here alone? Yeah right. I was on your mind the whole time." I smirked at the look on his face. It seemed as though I had guessed his emotions correctly. One point for Kole, zero for Liam. "I bet that's the page you've been on since you got down here. But don't worry, I'm on everyone's mind here."

Liam sighed and sat down, stretching his legs out. "Actually I was doing my homework. No insomnia and no _you_." I lifted my chin slightly and cocked my head to the side, trying to decide whether he was lying or not. "You seem confused. Did my explanation astound you that much?"

"If I say yes, will it offend you?"

"Why do you care? I thought that was your life's goal. To offend everything and everyone in your path."

I scrunched my nose, disgust laying heavily on my tongue. He was just trying to make me mad now, and I didn't have to stand for it. I was a Malfoy. My father was proud of me. All I had to do was come up with a biting comment and it would be over. I wouldn't have to have anymore contact with this boy ever again and I would truly become that which my parents wanted me to be. A Slytherin. A Slytherin with no feelings towards any other house except for hatred.

Except I didn't want that.

I wanted to come up with something that would make him laugh. That would make his eyes dance the way they had when I walked into the room. Something that would surprise even me. Something that would show him how much I liked him. How _highly_ I thought of him.

Nervous butterflies fluttered in my stomach as my mind whirred. I bit my lip, longing for him to say something that would cut the awkwardness.

"I heard what Professor Moody did to you today," Liam finally said quietly. I flinched silently, my dark eyes trained on the ground. "It wasn't right for him to do that to you."

"I didn't know you were my new psychiatrist," I bit, my eyes flashing with quick anger. He flinched and I felt a drop of remorse. "How long did it take you to figure out that I didn't deserve the Cruciatus Curse? Or are you like everyone else and only being nice to my face when you truly believe that I deserved it?"

Liam's mouth opened, but I didn't allow him to say anything. "And here I thought you were different. How _stupid_ of me to think that you actually cared about me and who I am, not who my family is? Here's a piece of advice the next time you want to pretend to care: Fuck off."

"Kole!" Liam yelled as I stomped towards the girls dormitory.

I wheeled around and walked right back to him. "How about if you find yourself a nice girl? One who hasn't been made a fool of in front of her entire year and tortured by the Cruciatus Curse. One who doesn't have to worry about whether her things will be thrown in the yard or if she'll have a place to stay the next time she goes home. Or here's another one: Don't pretend like you care when you don't. How about if you just . . . ."

His hand reached out and grabbed my arm, anger tainting his beautiful features. "How about you just shut up and listen to me, okay?" he hissed, his dark hand gripping my arm so hard that his nails were biting into my flesh.

"Get off of me," I growled through clenched teeth.

"Not until you listen to me." He pulled me close to him. So close that I could hear his heart beating a tattoo against his ribs. "You think everyone hates you. I have tried to tell you this before. You build walls whenever someone tries to get close to you and you don't need to. I don't want to find another girl. I don't even think I want to find you after what you just said and what you've done before. But I'm willing to try. I am willing to give you a friend. I am willing to _listen_ to you."

"Why?" I asked shortly, my face still pale with anger.

"Because I care about you. I care about what happens to you. I want to know that you're safe, that you're happy, that you're all right."

My eyes shifted to look at the flames licking the fireplace. My chin jutted out, annoyance threading itself through my mind.

"Look at me." I ignored him, trying to release my anger into the flames. Make my anger fly and dance like the heat. "Look at me." He put his hand underneath my chin and forced my head up. I begrudgingly looked at him. He smiled and moved a piece of hair off of myforehead. "Don't be angry at the people who care. Be angry at the people like Parkinson. All right?"

"You don't care about me," I spat, my almost black eyes fiery with anger. "Don't even pretend to care. No one cares about me. They just care about my name and the way I live underneath it!"

Liam sighed and sat down on the arm of a chair. "If that's the way you think, fine. But I'm not giving up on you."

"Good luck."

"Who made you like this?"

"Like what?"

"Unbelieving that someone can _care_ about you?"

I rolled my eyes and pulled my cardigan tight again. "You try living with my family as a girl and in Gryffindor and see how much you believe people care about you then," I hissed, raking my fingers through my hair. "And until you show me that you do care and aren't just being nice to me on a dare, I bid you adieu."

Liam just smiled and watched me walk to my room. I sat on the top step and allowed the tears that I had been keeping at bay flow from my eyes. Nothing could have prepared me for what had happened between us. Exhaustion washed over me and I could hardly supress the sobs that longed to scrape their way out of my throat with long fingers. Not only did I not have any friends in this godforsaken place, but I had just lost the one chance of finding one.


	20. Rumor Has It

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

I awoke with a start, cold seeping in from the stone floor. Granger was standing right over top of me, a nervous smile on her thin lips. I glared at her and ran my fingers through my hair.

"What time is it?" I asked sharply, my voice hoarse from sleep.

"About six o' clock in the morning," she answered softly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I rolled my eyes and sank into my pillows, closing my eyes for a brief minute. "Of course it is." I sighed and bit my lip. "What do you want, Granger? Because I doubt you're here for a friendly chat." Tears popped into Granger's eyes and she crossed her arms over her chest. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, annoyance filtering into my tired mind. "What the hell? I didn't even say a thing to make you cry. So stop your blubbering and tell me why you woke me up."

She straightened her spine, sniffed and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Your brother is outside the common room and they told me to come and get you because he's refusing to leave," she said breathlessly, nervously twiddling her thumbs.

"Thanks," I muttered, throwing the blankets off of me and padding down the stairs.

I walked through the common room, yawns stretching through my wide mouth. I opened the door and crawled through the opening, landing on my feet outside of the portrait of the fat lady. Draco was pacing up and down the halls, stress laced through his body. I crossed my arms across my chest and smirked. He turned around and his face relaxed, his spine curled and I could see the worry lift off of his body.

"Are you okay?" he asked hurriedly, quickly walking towards me.

"What do you mean? Of course I'm okay." I scrunched my brows with confusion and searched his face. "What's wrong? What happened? Why would something be wrong with me?"

"Blaise told me that you were Crucio'd by Moody in class yesterday. Told me that he heard through Potter talking to Weasley about it. Why didn't you tell me?"

I felt my spine cave in and closed my eyes, thinking of the best way to answer his question. He just watched me, worry etched into his silver eyes and concern traced in every line of his young face. I raked my fingers through my blond hair and looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, trying everything just to keep from meeting his eyes.

"Sorry doesn't cut it this time, Kole. Why wouldn't you tell me? This is serious! It may be funny when it happens to other students, but not when it happens to my own sister!"

Disappointment settled on my tongue, heavy and sour. I bit my lip, feeling tears well up in my eyes and gave him a watery smile.

"I just-I didn't want you to tell Mum and Dad because I knew that they were going to send a howler or freak out and I didn't want that to happen after Dad finally telling me he's proud of me. I didn't want anyone to worry." I hung my head, my pale cheeks hot with red shame. "I don't want anyone's pity."

"No one pities you. What are you talking about?"

"Draco, you know that look people give you when they know something horrible has happened to you, but they have no idea as to what?" Draco nodded with a smirk on his lips. "Well, I don't want that. I'm sick of peopel thinking that they know me when they don't!"

"No one does, Kole. People know better than that. We're Malfoys!" I smiled and laughed, cocking my head to the side. "Besides. You kick their ass, even if they did look at you that way."

"True. Very true." I bit my lip and burst out with something that I hadn't wanted to say. "What about the fact that we have two relatives that are known killers and in Azkaban. I mean, sure Sirius escaped and Aunt Bella is probably on the way, but people have been whispering about them. I know it."

Draco sighed and pursed his lips, thinking before he said anything.

"Well, we all know that Sirius didn't do anything to anyone and if they're whispering about that, who cares? They can gossip all they want. We're the Malfoy dream team, no one can touch us. And Aunt Bella will scare them away. At least, from how Mum makes it sound, she will." He winked and I laughed, feeling the tension lift off of my soulders.

"You won't tell Mum and Dad about Moody will you?" I asked tentatively, biting my lip.

"Not unless you want me to. Or if they ask." He gave me a half-smile and looked down the hall. "I should probably get back to the common room. People to see, things to do. You know how that is."

"Sure, Drake. I know how that is."

He smirked and waved, turning on his heel and walking down in the direction of the Slytherin common room. I sighed and turned to face the Fat Lady. There was no way that this whole Moody fiasco was going to be over anytime soon, but if I could stall it for as long as possible, I would be much happier than I had ever been.


	21. Take A Bow

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

Whsipers spread through the Great Hall as I walked in. Every eye was trained on me as I walked across the floor. I lifted my chin and smirked at them, blowing a kiss to the little trio of Gryffindors that everyone knew and loved. It was only then, in the middle of my reverie of finally gaining respect from the whole of Hogwarts that I realized that McGonagall, Dumbledore and Moody were all staring at me. I sighed and hung my head, hiding my fire-red cheeks with curtains of plae blond hair.

Draco's silver eyes caught mine for a brief second and I winked at him, my confidence returning. I lifted my head once more and strutted right up to the headmaster's seat.

"I noticed you all watching me come into the Great Hall," I said loudly, throwing as much innocence into it as I could. "Is there something you would like to talk to me about?"

Dumbledore smiled down at me, his blue eyes twinkling behind his spectacles. He stood up and motioned for McGonagall, Moody and me to follow him. We walked through the long hallways, a satisfied smirk spreading across my lips as we neared Dumbledore's office. There was nothing that they could say to put me in the wrong. _If_ this was about what I thought it was. Which, there was no way that it wasn't. I hadn't given any reason to be pulled into Dumbledore's office. Except for fighting with Parkinson, but that was fixed. Kind of.

We stopped in front of a hunched stone gargoyle. Dumbledore leaned towards it and said: "Licorice snaps." The gargoyle nodded, spun around and showed a staircase that I guessed led to his office.

I filed into line behind McGonagall and marched up the stairs, the smugness melting away into nervous butterflies. I hadn't known how long the charade of nothing happening between Moody and me was going to last, but I had never imagined that it wouldn't last a day. But they couldn't do anything to me, right? There were no repurcussions to go with keeping mum about all of this, were there?

I swallowed my fear as we stepped into Dumbledore's office. He made three plush armchairs appear from nowhere and pulled them towards his desk.

"Please. Sit."

We all obeyed. McGonagall shoving me between her and Moody. I crossed my arms over my chest and watched Dumbledore through narrowed eyes.

"Now, Miss Malfoy." I looked up at him, surprised at the smile still lighting his face. "Would you care to tell us why we are all here?"

"I don't even know why we're here," I growled, rolling my eyes.

McGonagall glared at me harshly and pursed her thin lips. "Now is no time to be difficult, Malfoy. The sooner that you tell Dumbledore what happened, the sooner we can all resolve the situation."

I rolled my eyes again, sighed and crossed my legs. "Fine. We are here because _Professor_ Moody decided to Crucio me in front of the entire Defense Against the Dark Arts class," I said boldly, keeping my eyes trained on Dumbledore and Dumbledore only. "There is nothing more to the story and nothing less.

Moody scoffed and stood up, his wooden leg scraping across the stone floor. He brought his face close to mine and opened his mouth to say something, but Dumbledore pulled him back.

"Alastor. Sit. You will explain your side of the story when it is your turn."

"His side? Excuse me, Professor, but he used an _Unforgivable Curse_ on me. Where does that warrant the ability to explain anything? I didn't know that unforgivable meant on some occassions," I hissed, anger lacing my veins with red.

Dumbledore just tugged at his beard and watched Moody sit down. He then turned to me, the smile gone from his lips. I shrunk back a little, worrying if I had angered the man. He just studied me, his head cocked to the side and his eyes narrowed. I bit my lip and looked over at McGonagall. Her lips were pursed as usual, but her cheeks were colored red with anger.

"Malfoy is right, Dumbledore. Nothing that a student, or any human being for that matter, does warrants the use of an Unforgivable Curse." I smirked and chanced a glance at Moody. His ugly face was distorted into a mask of fury. "If it was up to me, I would have the child pulled out of his classes and Moody under close watch at all times."

Dumbledore nodded, his old mind soaking in the information. I had to restrain myself from jumping up and yelling that I didn't want to be pulled from his class. He was one of the greatest Auror's of all time, something that I shouldn't have been amazed of but was anyway, and I wanted to learn from him. But Moody had no emotion. He seemed to feel nothing over losing a student. Which didn't surprise me, but what McGonagall was suggesting was having people watch him at all times. If it was me under that much scrutiny, I would have some serious issues.

Just saying.

"Professor, if I may speak," Moody finally piped up, his voice croaking from between his thin, scarred lips.

Dumbledore nodded, still in thought.

"If the girl hadn't given me a reason to even consider using the Crucio curse, I wouldn't have used it."

"I didn't give you any reason!" I protested, standing up and marching over to Moody, automatically regretting my decision. "I was simply stating facts! And, sure, I was being a smart-ass, but I'm like that in every class."

"Every class isn't my class, Malfoy."

"Understood, _sir_," I hissed through clenched teeth. "But I have never had the Crucio curse used on me before."

"Your other teachers aren't Alastor Moody, girl." I rolled my eyes and cocked my hip. "You will accept your mistakes and the punishments that go along with them."

"Alastor." Dumbledore's voice had lost all of it's friendliness, replaced with something serious. "Professor McGonagall is right. Miss Malfoy cannot continue being in your class any longer. Not after what has happened." Moody opened his mouth to speak, but Dumbledore cut him off. "You must agree with me, Alastor. And I will have someone watch you when you are teaching. Especially when you are teaching."

"If she is taken out of my classes, who will teach her?"

"I believe Severus will take up that position," Dumbledore said matter-of-factly.

I groaned inwardly and felt my shoulders sink and my head hang. If there was one teacher that I had no intention of learning something from, it was Professor Snape. But, I had no intention of getting Crucio'd again. I flinched at the memory of the excruciating pain that had laced through my body. Which was the lesser of two evils, I wonder?

"Very well, if that is the _only _option that you can think of, Dumbledore, I have nothing left to say," Moody growled through gritted teeth.

The smile appeared on Dumbledore's lips once more and he looked at me.

"Miss Malfoy, you may go back to class. Minerva, Alastor, if you could just stay with me for a few minutes?"

Both professors nodded and a smile stretched across my lips. I turned to walk out of Dumbledore's office and felt like skipping down the stairs. For once in my life I was right! I was right and Moody was wrong and someone was getting punished other than me. I soared through the halls, moving as quickly as my feet would allow. All I wanted was to run to Draco and tell him the news.


	22. Trap Door

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, which is incredibly unfortunate! I wish I owned it, but the genius very obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling.

XoXo

"What do you think is gonna happen when the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton kids get here?" I asked Draco, sitting cross-legged on a couch in the Slytherin common room. He just shrugged and went back to writing his Potion's essay. "I mean, what do you think everyone here is gonna do? Freak out and crowd around Krum because he's all _famous_ and everything? I bet you anything that's what Parkinson's gonna do."

Draco rolled his eyes and turned away from me, hunching his shoulders forward. I sighed and twirled a piece of blond hair around my finger.

"What about you Kole?" My brows scrunched together in confusion as I tried to figure out where the voice had come from and who it belonged to. I turned around and looked at Blaise who simply shrugged his shoulders. My dark eyes skipped over Crabbe and Goyle already knowing that it wasn't them. "Over here, dumbass."

My heart skipped a beat when I looked over at Theodore, his chocolate colored eyes dancing in the firelight. I smirked at him and blew my hair out of my eyes.

"Dumbass?" I asked, standing up and walking towards him. "Interesting that you would use that phrase to describe someone who you seemed to be in love with until recently."

"Recently being a month? Doesn't seem to recent to me."

"Of course it doesn't, sweetheart." Theodore raised his eyebrows, my sharp tongue flinging insults against his vulnerable skin. I stopped in front of him, placing a hand on his head and stroking his hair. I brought my face close to his and smirked. "Recent to you doesn't mean anything unless it's a mistake. Which oviously whatever we _had_ was."

I turned away, strutting back to where Draco and Blaise were sitting. I blew Blaise a kiss and smirked. He just laughed and shook his head, turning back to his essay.

"If I see that Gryffindor hanging around you-"

I rolled my eyes and turned back around, fire lighting my black eyes.

"What are you gonna do, Theo? Tell him everything that's wrong with me?" Theodore just stared at me, obviously unable to say anything. "I already did that. So don't worry. I just lightened your load for you."

Theodore stood up and grabbed my wrist. I tried to pull it away from him, but he pulled me towards him. I gasped and struggled against him. He pulled my head towards his and kissed me. I broke away and slapped him.

"Knock it off," I growled, slapping him again, this time leaving a red hand across his cheek. "Grow up. I don't like you anymore. I don't care if you have feelings for me anymore. i really don't. But stop pretending like we were perfect."

"No relationship with you could ever be considered _perfect_, Kole," Theodore hissed, feeling the hot handprint.

"Why, Theo? Because she's messed up?" Draco sneered from the couch, standing up and marching towards us.

I folded my arms over my chest and watched Theodore debate whether he wanted to go up against the both of us.

"Don't even pretend like she isn't, Draco," he finally retorted lamely. "You above _all_ people should know how incredibly messed up she is." Draco's face paled with anger and i put a hand out to stop him from going towards Theodore. "She deserves to be locked in St. Mungo's!"

"Oi!" Blaise chimed in, standing up. "Don't talk about her like that!"

I clenched my jaw against the anger boiling in my veins. "You can pretend that you're not nor ever were in love with me, but everyone knows you're just kidding yourself," I hissed, punching him in the nose, feeling a smile spread across my lips in sick satisfaction. I watched as the scarlet blood dripped down his pale face from his nose. "No one can resist the temptation of Kole Andromeda Malfoy. Savvy?"

Tears sprung up in Theodore's eyes and I felt a bubble of laughter pop in my mouth. I blew him a kiss and turned to look at Draco and Blaise.

"Ta."

I stepped through the exit of the common room and stormed the entire way to Snape's office, cursing myself for being late. The stupid boy had dragged me down to his level. Once again. I shook my head, in disbelief that I had been caught in the riptide of old flames. It seemed as though I was getting dragged under the water and there was nothing to help keep me afloat. I was just a stupid girl with a myriad of stupid relationships that were never going to heal. They were doomed, just as I was, to remain open wounds for the rest of their lives.

XoXo

I reached my hand towards the door, making to knock on it when it swung wide open. I gulped and looked into Snape's beetle black eyes. He glared at me through his greasy hair and motioned for me to enter into his office. I nodded and scurried into the tiny, dark room. I looked around for a seat and sneered when I couldn't find one.

"Nice office," I joked, looking back at him. "Not a single chair in sight."

"There is one chair in here, Miss Malfoy," he answered in a monotone. "It is reserved for me and me alone."

"Well isn't that selfish of you."

Snape refrained from answering and sat down in his one chair. I raised my eyebrows and watched him expectantly. If he was going to have me stand and watch him for my entire detention, we were going to have a problem. I shifted my weight to one foot and pulled my hair into a knot on the top of my head.

"Yes, Miss Malfoy?" he asked, not even looking up at me. "Since you could not be bothered to arrive on detention on time, we will wait on my time to get started. Understood?" I clenched my teeth, but refrained from saying anything that I would regret. "I asked if you understood, Miss Malfoy. If we are going to have a problem here you can be sure that your potions lessons will seem much more like detentions."

"Understood, Professor Snape," I growled, crossing my arms over my chest.

He nodded and went right back to whatever he was doing. I rolled my eyes and tapped my foot against the hard stone floor. I was still upset over what had happened with Theodore and it didn't help that Snape was being the biggest prat in the world. I twisted my fingers into fists and unraveled them, trying to ease my tension so no other regrets would happen at my hands.

I watched Snape with baited breath, prayng that he would look up, say that it was all a joke and send me on my way. Not that I had anywhere to go. I had no desire to go back to the Slytehrin common room, tension was just too thick there. The Gryffindor common room was just as homey as ever, what with all my friends and Liam. And the other two houses were just a stupid as they were when I first got to Hogwarts.

"Miss Malfoy." My head snapped up and I looked at Snape, his black eyes just as dark as mine. "You will be sorting through and organizing all of the objects in my closet." I groaned and felt my shoulders and spine cave in. "Are we going to have a problem?"

"No. Not a problem at all." I marched over to the closet and began my detention, praying that this hell would be over as quickly as it began.

The closet was cramped and overflowing with items. A headache began just from thinking about organizing all of the mess. I sighed and crawled over to the back of closet, trying to minimize the stress of cleaning the tiny closet.

An hour later I could feel the exhaustion blanketing my eyes and feebly wondered if Snape had forgotten about me. I pushed my hands through the tangled mess that had become my hair and tried to move my neck despite the crick that had formed. I closed my eyes for a split second and immediately regretted it. All my eyelids wanted to do was stay closed, just rest. Just sleep.

"Miss Malfoy," Snape called from his desk. My head perked up and I scrambled to my feet. I poked my head out of the door and looked at Snape with more excitement than was necessary. "You are free to leave. You will pick up where you left off in two days." I nodded quickly, pratically running towards the door. "And Miss Malfoy," I turned my head hesitantly, unsure whether I wanted to hear what he had to say or not, "you will report to my classroom at three o' clock sharp tomorrow for your lesson."

I nodded shortly and grabbed my bag, hurrying through to halls so that I could crawl into my bed and fall asleep.

XoXo

I crawled through the portrait hole and smiled, I was finally going to be able to go up into my room and sleep with no distractions. And that smile lasted, for a little while at least. That was when I saw Potter and his merry band of followers watching me with narrowed eyes.

"Wow. What in the world could I have done to deserve such a _warm_ welcome?" I asked sarcastically, my exhaustion forcing my temper to a higher point than usual.

"Shut it, Malfoy. After what you did to Moody you have no right to say anything," Weasley growled, standing up and challenging me.

"After what _I_ did to Moody? I didn't do a thing," I growled, advancing on him. Potter and Granger stood up, ready to fight me if it came to that. "Maybe you should go and get your facts checked before confronting someone about it. Sound good?"

"No, it doesn't sound good, Malfoy," Potter hissed, taking a step towards me. "You're the one that forced Moody to not show us all the stuff we'll be up against!"

"Yeah. Sorry for taking the Cruciatus Curse. Pardon me for not being able to take the pain. I'll be sure to work on that next time."

"Good," Weasley sniffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because if it wasn't for you, Moody wouldn't have teachers following him around like he was a bad puppy or something."

"He deserves everything that he got! And don't deny it. If you would have had the Cruciatus Curse use don you, the same thing would have happened. Only, they would have been much quicker and much brutal in punishing him. You three are the epitome of perfection here at lovely old Hogwarts, while I am at the very bottom of the food chain. Forced to watch everyone else laugh and have fun while all I get to do is have people gnaw on me when they want something."

They all rolled their eyes and shook their heads. I smiled at them and waved, making my way over to the girls dormitory. Only, of course, to get stopped by a certain Liam. I looked up at him, my anger melting away when I saw the hurt peeking out from his green eyes.

"Hi," I said sheepishly, tugging on the necklace that was hanging from my neck.

"Hi," he said quietly, looking past me and into the fire.

"You'll hurt your eyes by doing that," I offered, trying to keep the awkward silence at bay.

"Look who cares about me now. Does it hurt to make someone feel like you care about them?"

"Liam-" I started, hanging my head in shame.

"Don't. Just don't even pretend like you care if I'm upset or not." I opened my mouth to say something, but he cut me off again. "Goodnight, Kole."

I nodded and trudged up the stairs, annoyance and guilt creating a sick fluttering in the pit of my stomach.


End file.
